


Kill Me Twice

by RebelVale



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:07:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 46
Words: 53,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23314402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelVale/pseuds/RebelVale
Summary: Draco finds himself on the wrong side of the Dark Lady but who is this mysterious Dark Witch and why does she hate Draco so much?This work is non-cannon post HBP events. Prologue starts quite violently but little violence in the rest of the work.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 79
Kudos: 38





	1. Prologue

The Dark Lady entered the room, tongues of shadow swirling around her, the air throbbed with her malevolent presence.

"I wanted him conscious," she snarled at the underlings who held the limp form of Draco Malfoy before her.

She grabbed Malfoy's chin. Nothing; not a flicker of movement or recognition but still she knew she had an audience to entertain.

"Pity," she purred at the uncaring figure before her, "so handsome, such power and promise, reduced to this – and for what?"

It was a rhetorical question, sycophantic laughter rippled around the room as if his suffering was some joke to them all. She let go his head it lolled to one side-too far gone to know or care. She stretched out a hand tendrils of shadow rippled down his blood soaked shirt tearing it asunder. Invisible cold hands cut across his throat but he felt nothing. They must have all know Draco Malfoy was as good as gone.

"Such a pity I don't have more time to play Draco," she said in a sickly sweet voice, "I'm sure we could have had such fun you and I. I would have enjoyed a _little pay back_." The last phrase was said with such venom some of those assembled flinched. Her voice rose as the shadows she carried with her gathered around her latest victim.

"So unresponsive, how rude Draco and I was sure you had such exquisite manners."

She sighed changing tone and persona as if each wisp of shadow she carried was a new voice that needed to be heard.

"I would have so enjoyed seeing your face as I ripped out your throat."

Even the ranks of Death Eaters gathered, the sane ones at least, stilled with fear in her presence. Preternatural stillness held the room as the clearly deranged witch continued her 'interrogation'.

"What's that you say?" She asked as if expecting an answer, "too quick, not painful enough to repay you what I owe?"

Some now watched enthralled with the thrill of her anticipated bloodlust as she continued her monologue. Others, Theo Nott amongst them, were not sure they could hold it together as they watched.

"You're right Draco darling, you _deserve_ more," she continued as if addressing a small child.

"MORE pain, MORE suffering," she yelled before concluding with low menace.

" YOU-DESERVE-TO-BURN!" she punctuated every word for emphasis.

"Like the phoenix perhaps you will be reborn," she muttered these last words seemingly to herself, all vestige of sanity now apparently gone.

Flames formed at her finger tips growing with the fury of her switching mood.

"Your sweet pure blood will boil, your beautiful alabaster skin will blister and blacken and I will enjoy _every moment_ of your agony."

White hot flame shot towards her still unconscious victim. The stench of burning flesh filled the space. Theo dare not look away but he knew what he saw would haunt him forever. Malfoy's handsome face melted, his fine platinum blond hair singed and flared briefly as tongues of fire raged around him. The Dark Lady circled like a carrion crow as she immolated her victim with nothing but cold indifference on her face.

"The ring"-she gestured to the hand of the now blackened heap before her –"clean up the mess." She took the Malfoy family ring and apparated away. Multiple pops of apparition sounded in her wake.

 _How had it come to this?_ Nott wondered as he looked at the charred ground where his friend's body had been. _How could she have done this? He was certain they had been lovers._ _How had fate become so twisted and distorted that Draco Malfoy had died a martyr for the light?_

* * *

"My Lord it is done," the Dark Lady announced to Voldemort as they all reappeared before him. She didn't even bother to bow.

"And the body?" he hissed.

"Vaporised," she said calmly, "but I assure you he is dead as many here witnessed and I brought a small souvenir." She held out the Malfoy family ring.

"I see," Voldemort said rather tartly.

Nott knew that if it had been anyone else, anyone else who didn't bow to him or call him My Lord they would have been dead by now but Theo suspected that against this formidable dark witch even Voldemort was not certain he would win.

Voldemort held out his hand for the ring, examined it then, satisfied it was indeed Draco's ring, he threw it aside and disappeared through a veil of black mist.

Now Voldemort was gone others left too. Theo again lingered this time watching the Dark Lady from the safety of shadows. He was the only one there to see her reclaim the ring. He watched as she slipped it onto her right index finger, raising her clasped hands as if in prayer to gently caress the ring with her lips. Theo watched her face intently as the mask of madness dropped, her eyes closing tightly to hold back the weakness of tears.

* * *


	2. 'Evil little Cockroach’

**18 months earlier**

_When had everything become so confusing?_ Hermione wondered. _Why couldn't he stay in that box – the one she had made for him labelled 'evil little cockroach'? Worse -why had that simple act of kindness transformed his face?_

Hermione had always viewed Draco Malfoy as evil incarnate but now, when she looked at him, the twisted, grotesque, pointed gargoyle of a face had transfigured into a handsome man.

_Damn!_ She thought as she looked up into his face, _he even looks angelic._ The sunlight behind his hair, as he stood in the Morning Room window, had given him an aura that made him look more seraph than demon. It was so confusing-she used to fantasies about punching his lights out but for a moment, out of nowhere came the thought that she might like to…well it would certainly make a grown woman blush.

* * *

Draco Malfoy had arrived at the Order's headquarters with Snape after Dumbledore's death. When he and Snape suddenly appeared in the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place all hell had broken lose. Both Harry and Ron had gone to hex him, Snape had disarmed them only to find that Remus held a wand to Snape's own throat. For what seemed like hours there was a tense stand-off.

In the end it was Tonks who broke the silence. Perhaps it was in recognition that Draco was one of her few living relatives and she would not spill familial blood unless she had to.

"Explain, and make it good," she said to Snape.

"Not in front of the boy," Snape motioned his head towards Draco.

"Hermione, take him into the other room," Remus indicated the door.

* * *

Draco found himself in the faded Morning Room of 12 Grimmauld Place. The house had once belonged to his mother's family but now, the grandeur that it had once represented was well and truly faded.

Ignoring Granger Draco stared at the once grand furnishings. The silk drapes, which had once probably been a deep blue were faded to grey, the edges rotting where the sun had slowly stripped away both colour and fibre. Dust seemed to be ingrained on every surface.

"Sit!" Granger commanded.

Draco scoffed, looking with distaste at the chair she had offered, he declined to sit and instead walked towards the window. Draco had expected questions but Granger was blessedly silent.

As the silence stretched out Draco slipped deep into his own thoughts- _what now?_ He wondered. _Would he remain a prisoner of The Order? Would they let him go? Would they send him home into the clutches of Voldemort?_ He knew his best hope was that his Godfather could persuade The Order that he might have some worth. It was a small hope, he suspected, if Potter and Weasley had any say, he would be out on the streets to take his chances. On the other hand he couldn't believe that even The Boy Who Lived and his side kick would hand him over to Voldemort. Clueless though they were they had to know that they might as well 'adava' him themselves as hand him over.

All Draco could do now was wait but at least he could take a moment's ease. One thing he knew about the muggle-born witch, who was now his guard, was she wouldn't harm him unless he gave her good cause and he had no intentions of giving her good cause. He was he supposed, for however long it took them to decide his fate, safe.

Finally he took a chair and sat and looked at the muggle-born witch who was now studying him intently.

* * *

Remus sealed and silenced the room as soon as Hermione and Draco were through the door.

"You have one minute before I kill you," Remus rounded on Snape.

Snape let out a long suffering sigh.

"He was dying you know," Snape began as his opening gambit for he knew he was gambling with his life and his godson's. Remus didn't even blink in response."When Dumbledore destroy the horcrux in Marvolo Gaunt's ring he triggered a curse which was slowly killing him," Snape continued, "he knew he was going to die and he knew that Voldemort had ordered Draco to kill him."

Still no one spoke but Snape knew he had their attention now.

"Dumbledore asked me to kill him in order to save Draco's soul."

"Bullshit, you're not going to listen to this are you?" Ron spat out looking to those around him for support, "why would Dumbledore care what happened to Malfoy?"

"You are very mistaken if you think Albus Dumbledore didn't care for all his pupils, he did, even you Mr. Weasley," Snape responded with scorn.

Unabashed Ron continued,"don't you see what he's doing?" Ron looked desperately at the other Order members, "he's trying to cover for his own crimes…"

"Ron," Remus interrupted wearily, "let him speak."

"Albus believed the boy still had an important part to play in Voldemort's downfall and it was important to keep him safe."

"What role?" Tonks demanded.

Snape didn't respond instead looking warily at Ron and Harry who still sat quietly in the corner of the room.

"If you allow me Nymphadora I will come back to that," Snape continued his explanation, "suffice it to say that Albus believed Draco would defect to the Order. As for myself I must continue to play my part at Voldemort's side. Albus understood that his death at my hands would restore the 'Dark Lord's' faith in me and allow me to further aid the cause –at least for a time."

Remus narrowed his eyes and rubbed his index finger across a scar on his chin as he studied Snape.

"We don't have time for veritaserum otherwise…"

"How convenient," everyone was surprised when Harry finally spoke.

Snape glared at his former student before making a surprising offer. Taking a vial from an inside pocket in his robe he lifted his wand to his temple drawing out a small thread of memory.

"See for yourself- I have delayed long enough I must meet with The Dark Lord-your word Remus that the boy will be safe until I return."

Remus nodded.

"If you will Remus," Snape motioned to the wand at his throat that prevented him from leaving. Remus lowered his wand and Snape vanished in a swirl of black robes.

Tonks looked at her husband, "Do you believe him?" She asked.

"I don't know?" Remus stated pensively, "perhaps we should look at the memory? Ron go bring the pensieve Harry, go check on Hermione."

Waiting until the boys had left the room Remus turned to his wife,"I don't know what to think but there _is_ something about Draco Malfoy…"

"What?" Tonks demanded.

Remus let out a little huff of air before responding, "I think he might have a conscience."

* * *

Hermione studied Malfoy intently she couldn't understand what he was doing here. It must be _good_ if he and Snape dared to come here after what Harry had reported they had done on the Astronomy Tower. She had always been too curious for her own good but she tried to maintain a stoic silence watching as he paced the room before finally deciding to sit. Malfoy looked a wreck, dark shadows sat below his eyes, his skin had a grey undertone that spoke of a lack of nourishment.

"When did you last sleep Malfoy?" She asked unable to maintain the silence but unwilling to ask what she really wanted to know.

"Why do you care?" Was his caustic response.

"I don't," she shrugged her shoulders, "you just don't look your best and I was curious."

He merely huffed but then after a moment's consideration commented, "Do any of us sleep well? Is there anyone who can have an undisturbed night without fear for themselves or their loved ones? Perhaps you sleep the sleep of the blessed Granger?" He looked up at her scrutinising her face, "but then again perhaps you don't."

Hermione knew he was right who could sleep well in these dark times?

"I'm surprised," she told him.

"Why?" He asked already wearying of the conservation.

"Wouldn't you need a conscience in the first place for it to keep you awake at night?"

Draco sneered at her before replying, "Wouldn't you need someone who loved you to worry about?"

The conversation was blessedly brought to a halt by the door opening to admit Harry.

"If you so much as breathe too loud Malfoy…" Harry began but he was cut off before he could finish.

"Yes, I get it! I'm entirely at your mercy," Draco shot back.

Harry, unlike Hermione, could not contain his curiosity.

"Why are you here Malfoy?"

Draco didn't respond for a long moment-Harry had begun to turn, assuming he would get no response, when Draco said quietly:

"I have nowhere else to go."

"And why should we lift a finger to save your sorry soul after all you have done?" Harry asked levelling his wand as he began to lose his temper.

"Because Dumbledore thought it was worth saving!" Draco snapped back. "I know _you_ think I'm worthless well may be someone did believe in me."

For a moment they all glowered at each other in silence.

"Harry is everything alright?" Tonks' calm tones rang down the corridor breaking the stillness.

"Coming," Harry called out before turning back to Malfoy, "I don't trust you Malfoy, whatever you are up to…" Harry left the statement hanging and finally exited the room closing the door behind him.

"You should sleep," Hermione stated simply to break the tension.

He didn't answer or acknowledge what she had said but sat back down and closed his eyes.


	3. Simply Act of Kindness

* * *

For the next 24 hours they _all_ took turns guarding their _'guest'_ _all_ except Ron. Remus decided that Ron could not be trusted. Secretly Hermione knew that Remus was right. It would not have been wise to leave Draco and Ron alone together for any length of time. There was no way that Draco wouldn't goad Ron and no way Ron would resist the temptation to hex their 'guest' or worse, although this precaution did not stop Ron from sulking because 'they didn't trust him.'

It was almost exactly twenty-four hours later when Snape finally returned.

"I assume you have viewed it?" was Snape's opening stratagem referring to the memory he had left behind.

"Yes," Remus replied stoically giving nothing away.

"Then you understand why we came here?" Snape asked.

"Not entirely but I do believe you did as Dumbledore asked."

The tension in Snape's shoulders visibly eased.

"Then perhaps you will allow me to explain further? But I would speak with you _alone_ ," Snape demanded.

"You can have nothing to say that you cannot say in front of my wife," Remus responded.

**"** Very well," Snape agreed glaring at Ron and Harry as a visual cue that they should leave. The door closed with a resounding thump as Harry and Ron exited the room.

* * *

Hermione had not intended to close her eyes but she must have nodded off. She awoke to find herself warmly wrapped in the blue herring bone weave blanket that usually sat across the back of the chair Malfoy was now sitting in. _Had Malfoy covered her to keep her warm?_ It was a simple act of kindness but she had difficulty believing he would have done that. _Who are you really Draco Malfoy?_ She suddenly found herself wondering. _You could have killed me, but you didn't, you should have killed Dumbledore, but you didn't. Why?_ She couldn't break the feeling that there was something about the blond Slytherin that she was missing. His voice suddenly broke her reverie.

"You make a poor guard Granger," he said clearly aware she had awoken, although he did not look at her. "I could have hexed you and made my escape," he continued, removing his wand from the sleeve of his now very crumpled robes.

Hermione's eyes bugged out of her head. He had been armed; she had slept in a room with an armed Death Eater. He could have killed her at any moment.

"I know what you're thinking," he continued his monologue, "The Order's security is rather lacks but relax Granger, you're perfectly safe as I said before 'I have nowhere else to go.'"

Unable to rein in her curiosity about him any longer she asked, "Why did you do that?" pointing to the blanket that covered her. She expected some snide remark not the simple response he gave:

"You were cold."

For the first time since she had known him Hermione looked at Draco Malfoy with something other than distain.

* * *

"I know my part in these events Remus, I have known for some time that things will not end well for me." Snape began by way of explanation. "I can best serve The Order by remaining close to 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'. You must surely understand that by my actions I have achieved an unparalleled level of trust."

"Yes I see that," Remus confirmed, "but where does young Malfoy fit in?"

"Dumbledore knew the boy was not evil. Draco was compelled to do the Dark Lord's bidding by the need to protect Narcissa, his heart wasn't in the task but he was left with little choice. Dumbledore was almost certain the boy would fail and he gave his life willingly so that my Godson would survive and I would not be exposed as a double agent."

Remus nodded in understanding.

It was Tonks who spoke next, "but what do you propose we do with him now Severus? We don't have the manpower to guard him 24/7."

"Albus was sure the boy would defect-turn to the light."

"You can't be sure of that Severus," Remus responded, "what about his mother, isn't she still in _his_ hands? Surely Draco's loyalty lies there."

"It might except for a certain Miss Granger."

"What are you suggesting Severus?" Remus enquired, although in truth he suspected he knew the answer.

"There is a prophecy about my Godson, in part it is the reason why Lucius was so harsh on the boy, so determined to indoctrinate him against ' _mud-bloods'_. The prophecy claims Draco will break the pureblood line and marry a muggle-born witch of unparalleled intelligence and power."

"And Albus thought his was Hermione?" Tonks enquired.

"He was _certain_ it was Hermione."

"But they hate each other," Tonks asserted.

"Ah, but do they? Do they really?" Snape asked.

"I find it hard to believe that Hermione has any feelings for Draco at all, she has been in love with Ron since she was 13 years old," Tonks said her tone now incredulous.

"I cannot speak for Miss Granger, but I suspect Draco's ' _attentions_ ' were born of frustration. He was cruel because it was the only way to gain her notice and he wanted so much for her to notice him."

"So what are you asking us to do Severus?" Remus demanded.

"For the moment keep him safe, keep him alive and allow him to show Miss Granger that he is not who she thought he was. Trust that Draco Malfoy is her match and when the time is right they will save each other."

Remus considered for a moment before acquiescing.

"Alright Severus the boy will be safe with us but he does not leave this house."

"Agreed but there will come a time when he will help and you will need him to leave."

"Too much of a risk," Remus said shaking his head sadly.

"At least give the boy a chance and for Merlin's sake _don't_ leave him alone with Weasley."

"I will do my best." Remus agreed solemly.


	4. Much Gentler than Expected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just reminder that this story is not Deathly Hallows compliant so, for the purpose of this story, Hermione's and Ron's relationship starts a few months earlier.
> 
> This is still a Dramione fanfic the relationship between Hermione and Draco is a slow burn.

* * *

Draco had been given his own room but he felt caged. He tried to keep to himself, deeming it safer, but after 2 weeks of virtual solitude he was reduced to pacing the floor of his small room.

* * *

Hermione could hear him pacing from the room she shared with Ron across the corridor. She would swear he was wearing a path in the pile of the carpet and the monotonous sound of his movement was driving her insane. He was fraying her nerves and she had to do something to stop him.

Rushing to his door she was given pause as she saw him through the gap between the door and its frame. She watched as he prowled like a caged white wolf and she wondered, _Does Malfoy have anything to do? Anything to read?_ She realised she was being uncharitable, of course he was restless he was an intelligent man and they had simply caged him with nothing to occupy his mind. Hermione realised she had to offer him some form of distraction for her own sanity if not for his.

While she had pondered this she had not realised he had stopped pacing.

"What do you want Granger?"

Snapping out of her thoughts Hermione asked, "I thought you might want something to read? I hadn't realised that no one had given any consideration to giving you anything to occupy your time." She told him quite candidly.

He stood very still making eye contact with her for the first time since the day he had arrived. Hermione had not noticed how expressive his eyes were. Grey and mercurial they reflected his moods like a lake reflected weather.

He huffed, "No shit Granger do you know how many roses there are on this faded wall paper? How many planks there are on this floor? How many seconds it takes to cross the room?"

She suddenly felt ashamed, "I'm sorry," she told him, "I should have considered this sooner. I have a collection of books I could loan one to you…" She trailed off.

"Of course you do you're Hermione Granger," unaccountably he smiled at her. She was stunned both that he had smiled and that it completely transformed his face. He looked _kinder._ She didn't have time to contemplate this thought before he continued, "actually I would really like some fresh air. Is there a garden we could walk in first?"

"Yes I'll show you." She turned to lead the way to the ground floor.

It was dusk as they entered the walled garden hidden behind Grimmauld Place. The red brick walls radiated warmth into the micro-climate of the small garden. The air was heavy with the thick scent of jasmine and lilies, their perfume as intense as any drug. Hermione made her way to the hardwood Lutyens' bench that sat below an arbour so crowded with jasmine flowers that they fell with the slightest hint of breeze, like specks of tattered silk. Ruined petals puddled on the ground in gleaming perfumed drifts.

Settling herself on the bench she looked at Draco expectantly. _Would he join her?_ She wondered, _could they sit together companionably like old friends rather than former enemies?_

He stood awkwardly looking at the space beside her but didn't move to join her instead taking in a deep breath like a man on the verge of drowning. He looked around admiring the surroundings.

"Curious, don't you think, to have a _white_ garden attached to a _Black_ house." He mused neither expecting nor inviting a response.

Hermione supposed it was curious, every flower in the garden was white, the antithesis of the interior of the Black town house. It was as if someone wanted to escape it all. Just like Draco was escaping it now. _How curious that he should see that,_ she thought, something about that intrigued her but she pushed the thought aside-Draco Malfoy was not _intriguing_ he was an 'evil little cockroach' and she would not allow herself to forget that.

"The scent of the jasmine is amazing don't you think?" She asked trying to steer her thoughts onto neutral ground.

"It's your favourite isn't it?" He responded not answering her question.

"Yes," she responded cautiously, "how do you know?"

"It's your scent," he told her honestly, "it precedes you when you enter a room. Perhaps you should change it, it might get you killed."

"Like you care," she replied without thinking.

"I care," he said, too quietly, still standing before her.

Hermione looked up searching his face to see if he was sincere. His face gave her no reason to doubt him.

There was a moment's awkward silence before Hermione broke it. "Well I think I will go back inside now." As she began to rise Draco instinctively took her hand to assist her to her feet. Realising what he had done he drop her hand like it would brand him, a red flush appeared across his alabaster cheekbones a clear indication that he had forgotten himself, that he was embarrassed.

Draco was saved from his blushes by Weasley calling Hermione's name.

"'Mione where are you?" Ron bellowed from inside Grimmauld Place.

Hermione didn't call back instead making her way indoors to find her boyfriend. She found Ron immediately at the foot of the stairs looking up through the stairwell as if he expected her to appear there.

"I'm here Ron," she told him quietly, "what is it that you want?"

"Does a guy have to want something when he hasn't seen his girl for a few hours?" Ron questioned urgently pulling her into his embrace.

Hermione eyed him suspiciously, "usually that it exactly when you want something Ron Weasley," she told him with a little coquettish smirk on her lips.

"Come here you," Ron insisted nuzzling her neck and gently nipping at the sweet spot he knew drove her wild.

"Huh hmm," Draco cleared his throat loudly to ensure the couple in the stairwell knew they were not alone.

"Malfoy," Ron began his irritation at the interruption clear in his tone, "what were you doing out there?"

Brusquely and looking the picture of innocence Draco told him, "taking the air with your girlfriend. So, if you'll excuse me?" Draco continued making his way past the couple still embracing in the stairwell.

Draco's words were like the proverbial 'red rag to a bull', Ron's countenance fell, he took a step away from Hermione and demanded, "Why were you outside with Malfoy?"

Hermione looked at Ron astonished, "He wanted some air, I showed him the garden…" she trailed off looking at Ron's scowling face, "you're jealous!" she told him, "jealous of Malfoy?"

"Course not," Ron responded a little too rapidly. Hermione merely took his arm as reassurance.

"Come on you," she said dragging him towards the stairs, "let me show you there is no need for you to be jealous."

Later as she lay by Ron's side she reflected on what had transpired in the garden. _It was the gentlemanly thing to do._ Hermione thought but Malfoy's actions had, in truth, taken her by surprise. He was embarrassed to take her hand not revolted by it. He did not hiss and spit at the physical contact as she might have expected him to. She was in all honesty a little stunned, not just that he blushed but also, to discover that his hand was both warm and gentle, his actions gentler than expected.


	5. Unimaginable laughter

Over the next few weeks they fell into a comfortable routine. Just before dusk Draco would make his way into the walled garden of 12 Grimmauld Place and when she heard the garden door close behind him Hermione would leave to join him. They didn't talk much at first but as the days passed and the weather began to hold an autumnal chill their conversations became warmer, pleasanter and more entertaining. Finally Hermione found that she looked forward to their conversations.

Ron didn't understand, he resented Hermione spending time with Malfoy but when Hermione had explained that 'Draco' needed company because he was little better than a prisoner and suggested that Ron join them in the garden, Ron had gone ballistic.

"Why don't you join us Ron? I think you will find that Draco isn't as bad as you think," Hermione suggested.

"Draco? Since when has it been Draco?" Ron demanded his temper clearly rising, "Do you remember what he did to you, to us?"

"Yes, but I think he has changed. You should give him a chance," Hermione pleaded, "he hasn't uttered an unkind word since he arrived…" Ron did not allow her to finish.

"Of course he hasn't he isn't an idiot, he can be charming to suit his own ends, that doesn't mean he has changed, he's playing you Hermione can't you see that?"

If there was one think that Hermione could not abide, a flaw in her character, it was the implication that she was being stupid, being played for a fool. She stared at Ron for a long moment, calmed herself before she said something she might regret and responded;

"No Ron I can't." With that statement Hermione walked away effectively signaling an end to their conversation. She left Ron to simmer knowing that he would calm down soon enough. She knew that Draco was safely ensconced in his room so she went to read in the library until Ron calmed himself.

It was some hours later before Ron came to apologise, "I just don't like you being with him," Ron told her, "I don't trust him."

"I know," Hermione conceded comfortingly, "but it would be inhumane to leave him with no conversation, no human contact, he is not, after all, a prisoner here he is more," she paused to find the right words, "a refugee. I can't in all consciences treat him badly. You might not credit it Ron but he has suffered already, what he experienced may have caused terrible psychological damage and I will not be responsible for creating another Dark Wizard if I there is anything I can do to prevent it."

"You think him another You-Know-Who? Don't be daft," Ron scoffed at the notion.

"Scoff all you want Ronald but who knows what he might become, despite your dismissal, he is a powerful wizard and what he might do if he does not heal..." Hermione didn't finish but shivered as if the prospect of what she had suggested terrified her.

Ron said nothing, instead he nodded sullenly indicating that he accepted what Hermione said but he didn't need to like it. When Hermione left the library to joined Draco on the Lutyen's bench late that afternoon it was in the knowledge that, whilst Ron might not like her talking to Draco, he would tolerate it-because it was the right thing to do.

* * *

It was already dark as she approached the bench; the moon was high in the sky kissing the scene with dappled slivers of light. Draco seemed lost in his own thoughts; apparently unaware that she was there, his head was bowed his fine blond hair had fallen forward across the upper part of his face. It gleamed like burnished sliver and for a moment she wondered if it would feel like silk to touch. The snapping of a fallen twig beneath her boot brought Draco out of his reverie. His eyes rose before his head and her heart stuttered to see his eyes smile when he saw her. He smiled that genuine breathtaking smile. Hermione was momentarily breathless, that he would smile like that merely because he had seen _her. Did she have that power over him?_ It thrilled her to think that she might be the source of a small token of his pleasure and happiness in this dismissal place.

"I thought you weren't coming," he said breaking the spell that seemed to have weaved its way around them.

"Sorry, I was reading, I didn't hear you come outside," she explained by way of apology.

"What were you reading?" he asked genuinely interested.

"The 'Earthsea Trilogy' by a famous muggle Science Fiction writer called Ursula Le Guin it was a favourite when I was younger and I wanted to read it again to see why I remembered it so fondly," she told him.

Draco watched her face as she spoke with passion and enthusiastically of something she loved. Her face seemed to glow with an inner radiance he didn't think he had ever seen before, it made her look... _beautiful._ He didn't have the slightest clue what Science Fiction was but he wanted to ask her, he wanted to see that passion flame again on her face as she shared with him something she loved.

"So what did you discover?" he finally asked.

"Well it's about a young wizard who fights against evil so I suppose I was naturally drawn to the subject."

Draco scoffed, "and I suppose he has a lightening bolt scar on his forehead."

Hermione smiled and cocked her head to one side as if a thought suddenly disturbed her.

"No, I always imagined he was blond," she paused for a moment, "perhaps that was the influence of the cover illustration."

In truth Hermione couldn't think why in her mind's eye Ged was blond with eyes the colour of the ocean in winter.

"I always knew I had heroic good looks," Draco chuckled, a good humoured grin on his face. Hermione looked at him unconvinced. "What?" Draco questioned, " Is it the heroic or the good looks that you doubt?"

"Neither." She told him as she finally gave in to the laughter that bubbled inside her at the notion of Malfoy as some type of matinee hero. Her laughter must have been infectious, soon Draco was laughing at his own idiocy. It was a self-deprecating humour that she would not have expected of him. His laughter would have been unimaginable only a matter of months before and she felt warm inside when she heard it. It was a beautiful, captivating sound and she wished she could hear him laugh more often.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a very old copy family copy of the ‘Earthsea trilogy’ (so old it was still a trilogy) so not a mistake in case anyone wondered.


	6. Frantic

After Dumbledore's demise The Order had laid low. They had needed time to regroup to re-evaluate their strength. With Snape embedded with the Death Eaters they had good intelligence. They knew what Voldemort planned, the raids on muggle settlements, the murder of muggle-borns but their resources were stretched and to their eternal frustration they could neither help nor save everyone. If they acted at all it was in the direst of need or in the most desperate of circumstances.

* * *

It was a grey day made greyer by the motes of dust that floated in the air of Grimmauld Place. Hermione sat curled like a cat in a chair beside the large ironstone range in the kitchen, her habitual book in one hand and a large mug of tea in the other. It was a day like any other since they had all settled at Grimmauld Place that was before a flare of bright blue light fractured the grey.

A spectral hare raced across the room-a patronus, Luna's patronus. Hermione sat bolt upright.

"Hermione help us we're surrounded, Shell cottage." Luna's panicked voice rang out from her patronus.

"Harry," Hermione screamed, "Ron, Professor."

As she waited Hermione panicked, Shell Cottage was an Order safe house it was protected by the Fidelius Charm, Bill Weasley was the secret keeper. That could only mean that not only was Luna in danger but so was Bill. He would never willingly reveal the secret unless he faced death. Even then Hermione doubted he would reveal it- but if someone else was in danger, someone he loved?

"Harry!" She screamed again at the top of her lungs.

* * *

Draco had begun to feel empty, hallow like a marsh plant transplanted to the desert where it wilted and withered and struggled for life. Everything seemed pointless but then there was _her_. He needed to get away from her before he did something he might regret-they were not meant for each other, he knew that, and no matter how much he had grown to enjoy talking to her he should not get used to it. Chastising himself he decided to try and wash these feelings away.

Draco knew he was taking too long in the shower, he was being selfish, but selfish was something he was good at and damn it all he wanted to take a long, long time in the shower. He needed to sort his head out; his priorities and the scolding hot water seemed to help. _I Should be disgusted,_ he told himself, _I shouldn't even want to be in the same room as her,_ his chastisement continued as his flesh boiled to a bright pink, _so why can't I stop thinking about her?_ He asked himself, why did he want to draw her to him, hold her, keep her safe? He was going insane. Shaking his head and unable to bear the scolding any further Draco finally stepped out of the shower. His skin steaming from the near immolation he had given it. He was amazed that no one was hammering on the door. Relieved to have had some peace, a rarity he had found whilst sharing a bathroom, he made his way to his room considering the benefit of applying some cooling charms on his skin.

* * *

Although it seemed like an age Harry and the others came running quickly.

"Luna, Shell Cottage." Hermione began breathlessLy and unable to apprise the others of the urgency.

"Hermione calm down, start again." Ginny ordered in a Molly Weasley tone that brooked no argument.

Finally taking a couple of calming breaths Hermione was able to explain. They quickly established that not only were the residents at Shell Cottage in danger but, if they could not get to Bill quickly, the security of Grimmauld Place might be at risk too. Remus agreed with Hermione's assessment that Bill would only divulge the secret if someone else's life was threatened and they needed to quickly establish the whereabouts of Fleur his wife and the other Weasley family members, as well as Bill himself.

"Charley is still in Rumania," Ron offered helpfully, "Ginny and I are here so that leaves, Percy, George, Fred and Mum and Dad."

"Ginny, floo the Burrows and check who's home immediately," Remus instructed taking command of the kitchen as if it were a campaign tent and the other Order members were his Aide de Camps.

"Hermione, Ron, go to Shell Cottage, stay undercover and assess the situation there. I want to know how many Death Eaters we are talking about and who is inside, do not engage the enemy unless there is an immediate threat to life."

"Harry, Tonks, contact as many Order members as you can we may need some considerable force."

Everyone scattered going about their tasks with urgency. No one thought about Malfoy.

* * *

Ensconced in his room Draco had not noticed that Grimmauld Place had become preternaturally quiet. As dusk approached he left his room, as always, to take some air in the walled garden. He waited but she didn't come. _Reading again,_ he scoffed to himself. He waited longer; it grew cold and dark, the hoots of a barn owl the only noise to disturb the silence. She had never 'stood him up' before, deflated and a little angry he returned indoors. It was only then that he realised something was wrong.

Many of the rooms were unlit and then realisation dawned. He had neither seen nor heard anyone for hours. No creak of boots on the loose stair below his room. No doors closing or slamming, no voices, nothing. Draco was overwhelmed with a sudden sense of panic. He raced from room to room, turning on lights and calling her name.

"Granger,"

Nothing,

"Granger this is not funny anymore," he bellowed.

Nothing,

Desperation began to set in.

"Potter damn it, Weasley."

Nothing,

"Anybody!" he yelled frantically.

He ran to her room, it had to be a joke, they were hiding, it must be an illusion, it had to be. He had never entered her room before it felt like an intrusion but he was desperate. He knew the house was protected by the Filelius Charm, he couldn't leave and no one would ever find him. _If they had left him…_ he couldn't finish that thought her room was empty there was nobody there. Idly he lifted a pale pink sweater from the back of a chair it smelt of Jasmine, it smelt of her. He buried his face in it and sank to the floor.

* * *

Hermione and Ron apparated to the sand dunes around Shell Cottage the sky was grey and high winds blasted sand into their mouths and faces making it difficult to see. Ron made to shield them from the ocean blast but Hermione stayed his hand before he could.

"No magic, they might detect us and at this distance we could be some muggle couple on the beach."

Although Hermione wasn't sure a muggle disguise would help them it seemed to reassure Ron who nodded his acceptance.

"We need to get closer," Ron told her.

Hermione nodded reluctant to open her mouth as the sand continued to blast them.

There was little need to silence their footfall, with no magic to detect and the roar of the ocean and the screaming gale no one would hear them. They could see the lights were on at the kitchen window. They made their way around the cottage keeping low so they could not be seen from any of the windows. Finally they found themselves under the kitchen window. They needed to look and they needed luck, they needed to hope no one was looking out. Cautiously Hermione rose to peep inside.

* * *


	7. Don't ever do that to me again.

Draco sat on the floor leaning against the bed he suspect Hermione shared with Weasley, he was near comatose with panic, there was no one here only the long dead portraits of his maternal ancestors. _Would they help?_ He wondered. _Perhaps he could get them to contact Snape? But at what risk? Snape might be exposed, the Order's headquarters compromised. No,_ he told himself _, he would have to wait and hope to Merlin someone remembered he was here._

He waited, somewhere in the darkness a clock rang 10. Still he waited somehow, on an unconscious level, he was aware that _her_ scent calmed him. He had become uncomfortable, standing to stretch his aching limbs he looked down at the unmade bed; he could see her imprint where she had curled on her side her back to Weasley. He couldn't say why he did it, it was lunacy, if he was caught…but he climbed on to her side of the bed fitting his frame against her shadow, spooning the ghost of her form, breathing in her scent. It soothed him.

* * *

There were 3 figures in the kitchen of Shell Cottage so far as Hermione could discern. Fleur and Luna bound back to back on Kitchen chairs and Fenir Greyback, the notoriously savage werewolf.

Hermione held up her finger to signal _one_ and moved to leave but Ron didn't move.

"We can take down one Hermione come on," Ron said in an excited whisper. _No!_ Hermione shock her head frantically to signal a negative but Ron was already moving towards the door. _The hot headed fool was going to get himself killed;_ Hermione thought fleetingly as she scrambled to follow him, _this was no ordinary Death Eater._

Glass shattered and Hermione was immediately called to action having no more time to consider if her hot headed boyfriend had a death wish.

* * *

Draco was startled out of a fitful sleep by the sound of multiple snaps of apparition. Disorientated for a moment he couldn't recall where he was or why. Finally alert he realised that he could not be sure that whoever had arrived was friendly. Drawing his wand he shot from the bed taking up position in the shadows by the window.

* * *

"Ronald Weasley you bleeding idiot," Hermione berated him, "you could have got us both killed, you had no idea who was in that kitchen it could have been Bellatrix or another peerless dualist," she continued hitting Ron repeatedly across the back of the head.

"Well it wasn't and we dealt with him," he attempted dismissively but that only incensed his girlfriend further.

"Only because Greyback is more of a brute than a strategists and I was able to distract him." Hermione ranted on.

"I knew you had my back Hermione," Ron said reaching out towards Hermione but she brushed him off too angry to accept his comfort.

"I'm going to shower and then change," she told Ginny, pointedly ignoring Ron, "I've got sand everywhere."

Hermione headed straight for the shower her irritation made worse by the sand that seemed to have made its way into every orifice.

As Hermione left the room Ginny hit her bother across the back of the head.

"What was that for?" Ron demanded, clueless of any error on his part.

"That," Ginny said hitting him again, "is for upsetting Hermione. That," another blow, "for endangering Fleur and Luna, and that," this time Ron dodged the blow, "for being an idiot." Ginny finished taking her brother in her arms as she sobbed.

* * *

Hermione scrubbed away at herself and her anger, it was minutes before her anger started to ease. She was fraught, it had been a difficult day but luckily they had all survived. Arthur and Bill had been surprised by Death Eaters as they had walked the beach some distance from the cottage. It was because Arthur's life was threatened that Bill had revealed the cottage as 'headquarters'. Bill had believed the cottage empty, a recently pregnant Fleur supposedly on a shopping trip. But Fleur had been taken by a sudden bout of sickness and Luna had helped her home both women walking into a trap.

Bill and Arthur had managed to escape using an emergency port key after their captors had thrown them in a cell. Fleur and Luna had not been so lucky. Hermione was certain Greyback had assaulted them and might have done worse had Ron not acted when he did. _Perhaps she was being harsh on Ron? She considered,_ still she couldn't help the feeling that Ron's impetuousness would get him killed one day.

Sighing she left the shower, dried herself and put on a robe before heading to her room.

* * *

Draco had waited patiently; he could hear voices but who they belonged to was indiscernible. He heard shouting; he could not be sure who was down there so he waited for an opportune moment to leave the relative safety of Hermione's room. After what he estimated to be 15 minutes there was silences. Draco determined he would wait 5 minutes more and if he heard nothing he would venture to leave. That was when he heard the floorboard creak before the door was pushed forward.

No sooner had she entered the room than Draco raced towards her. In two long strides he covered the space then slammed the door at her back. Small flakes of paint floated towards the floor in the hurricane of turbulence he had created but this was nothing compared to the storm he was about to unleash.

He didn't say a word as he pushed her back against the door. She suddenly felt the heat of him as he pressed himself against her, resting his arms either side of her head clearly intent that she would not escape. If the pressure of his body against hers left her breathless the searing kiss he gave her sucked all the oxygen from her lungs. It was intense and brutal and Hermione felt delirious.

Finally, the need for air forcing him to release the lock he had on her lips, he pulled away.

"Don't _ever_ do that to me again Granger." Pushing himself back he retraced the steps he had taken moments before.

Hermione barely had time to recover before the Ginny came through the door behind her.

* * *


	8. Insane

* * *

Ginny looked from Draco to Hermione and back.

"What are you doing in here?" Ginny questioned as she looked at Draco her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Looking for Granger," Draco replied, that sneer they had not seen for months suddenly evident on his face, "clearly someone forgot to tell _me_ about the 'party'." His face was flushed, to Ginny it appeared to be from anger but Hermione was not sure. Before the spitfire red head could eviscerate him with her temper Draco shoulder barged her and left the room. A few seconds later a slam ricocheted down the corridor as Malfoy's door shuddered on its hinges.

"' _Party'_ ," Ginny began about to start a rant but then she realised Hermione had gone very pale, "Hermione what's wrong?"

"We didn't tell him," Hermione replied her face now ashen.

"Didn't tell him what? What are you talking about Hermione?" Ginny asked looking at Hermione as if she had gone insane.

"Ginny he can't leave and we left him here alone without tell him."

**"** So…," Ginny trailed off as realisation hit her, "do you think he thought we had abandoned him?"

"Merlin knows what he thought Ginny-we should have told him we were leaving." Hermione said shaking her head guilt eating up her inside. That was the reason for his unexpected, impulsive behaviour he must have been so relieved to see her. _But was that really relief?_ She wondered, _or was that something else entirely?_ The thought that it might be something else should have horrified her but she was certain that horror was not what she had felt.

"Hermione," she had not realised that Ginny was talking to her.

"Sorry, what?" Hermione responded still seeming lost.

"What's going on Hermione?" Ginny asked sudden concern in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Hermione answered somewhat distractedly.

"Don't imagine that I haven't seen you going into the garden every day to meet up with Malfoy." Ginny told her raising her left brow as if to challenge Hermione to deny it.

"Nothing is going on," Hermione stated too quickly and too vehemently.

"No," Ginny said incredulously, "I know what you're doing."

"I'm not doing anything but giving him some company."

"Don't lie to yourself Hermione," Ginny told her friend as gently as she could, "don't lie to me either we have known each other too long. You're trying to save him and he is hoping that you can. I hope he's right Hermione-for your sake."

Hermione looked down hoping her hair would hide the slivers of tears that were lining her eyes. When she looked up Ginny was gone. _Oh God what have I done?_

* * *

Dusk approached and Hermione knew she had to go into the garden and face Draco, apologise because they had abandoned him with no word of what they were doing or where they were going. Not even word of _if_ they would come back. She waited, listening for the garden door, when an hour had passed and it was dark and she hadn't heard anything she slipped from her chair anyway. _I must have missed it,_ she told herself hopefully even though she was sure she had not. She reached the garden bench, he wasn't there, and somehow she knew he would not be.

* * *

Draco knew he was avoiding the inevitable, he would have to face her but he didn't know what to do or say. Should he apologise or pretend nothing had happened and continue as they had done before? He decided that he must have lost his mind, he had kissed the 'mud-blood' he should have felt violated, unclean yet instead it felt… he couldn't say what he felt. Being unable to describe his emotion did not prevent him from torturing himself with the idea of kissing her again, and again until age and infirmity deprived him of the desire-he knew then that he _had_ gone insane. _You are out of your tiny mind Draco,_ he told himself, _you are a pure-blood, one of the sacred 28 she is nothing, a nobody, beneath your notice, little better than an animal._ Somehow it didn't matter what he told himself his desire for her would not go away. _But why is she so clever, so beautiful and why does she always smell like jasmine?_ Desperate for anything to distract himself he reached for a book, _'A book of English Verse,' muggle poetry._

_"_ _Great!" H_ e said aloud, Draco was about to cast it aside when he noted that the pages fell open on a particular work what he assumed was someone's favourite poem.

_'_ _Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may,'_ he knew this was an ancient poem, the language hundreds of years old and though he was not familiar with poet or the muggle culture of that time, the sentiment was clear enough and resonant of their current time. Seize your chances now for otherwise the opportunity may be lost to you.

_Why should he deny himself?_ He wondered, he was the disgraced son of a Death Eater, despised by both sides. He couldn't lie to himself anymore, he wanted her. _Why shouldn't he?_ He asked himself defiantly. Of course, reason told him, there were any number of reasons why he shouldn't. Firstly she was Weasley's girlfriend and his position here, at the headquarters of The Order, was at best precarious. _Merlin only knows what would happen if he made advances towards Granger. Would she even welcome them?_ Again he found himself lost in the memory of that forbidden kiss and how she had responded with equal passion.

"Damn it," he howled throwing the book of poems across the room, he knew he was lost. _She will drive me insane, there has got to be a way out of here._ He decided he would speak to Lupin in the morning offer to help, anything to get out of Grimmauld Place and away from its all too tempting inhabitant.

* * *

"Professor," Draco approached his old Defence against the Dark Arts teacher respectfully, "might I have a word?"

"Of course Draco," Lupin agreed indicating that Draco should join him in the ground floor room that served as a study. As soon as the door closed Lupin continued, "What can I do for you?"

"I can't just sit out the war here professor," Draco began, "being here may be safe but it is driving me insane, I have had little if no news of my mother, I have nothing to do and I could be of some use."

Remus eyed Draco cautiously mindful of what Severus had told them about the boy.

"What is that you want to do Draco?" Remus asked.

"I would like to return to Malfoy Manor, watch what Voldemort is doing, be a backup in case my Godfather's role is exposed."

"Absolutely not," Remus told him without hesitation.

"But why?" Draco demanded, "I can do it." Draco insisted sounding a little petulant.

"I don't doubt that Draco," Remus told him wearily.

"Then what?" Draco demanded before answering his own question, "you don't trust me do you?"

Remus sighed, "It's not that Draco it's simply too dangerous do you have any idea what they will do to you if you turn up now?"

"I am not a fool Professor, I know they will 'crucio' me at best, 'avada' me at worst, but there is _no_ risk to The Order, I don't know where 'Headquarters' is , I could not lead them to you. I have no memories of anything excepting the interior of this house. To all appearances I have been a prisoner here," Draco argued.

For a moment Lupin looked like he might be swayed but then he shook his head.

"No Draco, it's too dangerous but we may have need of you yet. I will do what I can to ease your boredom but for now we need you to remain here."

Draco felt so desperate that he contemplated telling his old Professor the real reason he needed to leave but how could he? How could he say I need to leave because my desire for Granger is driving me insane?


	9. Stop it!

_Where does obsession begin? Is it with a smile or unimaginable laughter? With a touch, gentler than you expected, a hand warm where you would have thought it cold or with an unexpected act of kindness?_ Hermione didn't know but she did know that it was all kinds of wrong to lie in the bed of the man she had loved since she was a girl and fantasies about someone else.

_Had she really just been imagining that? Had she really wanted to do that with him?_ Suddenly Hermione felt dirty. It had begun innocently enough, imagining what it might feel like to run her fingers through his fine blond hair. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about him since that day when they had left him alone. She longed to know if there was more to that kiss than desperation. She imaged kissing him again and the next thing she knew… _well she really shouldn't go there again._

Hermione tossed and turned chastising herself for her faithlessness but her imaginings wouldn't go away. Frustrated she decided to get up and take a very cold shower to wash away her unclean thoughts. It didn't work!

Hermione stood under the showerhead closing her eyes, trying to relax, but his image: that smile, those storm grey eyes, seemed emblazoned on the inside of her eye lids. The more he avoided her the more she wanted to see him again, touch him again. She imagined the heat of him pressed against her again…

"Stop it!" She moaned out in frustration, "it will do no one any good," she tried to give herself a stiff talking to but she knew it wouldn't help. She had become obsessed with the fallen Slytherin Prince. Even though she knew he was an itch she could never scratch.

Returning to her room Hermione saw the light burning under Draco's door. Clearly he couldn't sleep either. For reasons she didn't want to fully acknowledge Hermione suddenly wanted to speak to the blond. She knew she hadn't apologised yet and she really, really needed to. _Perhaps he just slept with the lights on? Merlin knows he wouldn't be the only one to fear the nightmares and night terrors that came with the dark, s_ he considered. Fearing to wake him if he was indeed asleep she quietly tried the door.

He put aside the book he had been reading as he saw her enter his room.

"I couldn't sleep," she began, a shiver of cold suddenly running through her; "I thought we might talk?"

For a moment he neither moved nor spoke, clearly calculating his next action very carefully, it was with caution that he moved to pull back the covers at his side and patted the bed beside him.

"You're cold," was all he said.

Hermione moved towards him as if she had been placed under the imperious curse. Her body seemed to act of its own volition as she walked towards him and slipped into his bed.

Hermione knew this was all kinds of wrong but the only spell she was under was her own longing to feel his warmth again.

Pulling the covers up and gently tucking them around her he turned and said simply;

"You left me!" there was so much vulnerability in those three words that it cost Hermione nothing to apologise.

"I'm sorry," she began, "you must have been frantic, it all happened so quickly no one thought to tell you."

"No, I don't belong here and you shouldn't be with me."

"I know," she did know but at that moment the 'wrongness' of it seemed itself to be wrong. Hermione couldn't understand why but she felt no conflict, no sense of betrayal being with Draco, it just felt like it was fated.

Gently she placed her cheek against his shoulder, she felt him tense but it was only from surprise. He wrapped an arm round her pulling her closer to him, resting his chin on the top of her hair, breathing in that scent of Jasmine. There was no urgency to their embrace, it might have looked friendly to an outward observer but the hammering of both their hearts told them it was not merely friendship.

"Hermione," Draco began.

"Shh," she told him lifting her hand to stroke his silken hair, to calm and sooth him, "shh," she repeated, "I know, it will be alright." Hermione wasn't sure why she was reassuring him but innately she knew he needed that reassurance. Draco was alone, vulnerable and she wanted to save him.

* * *

Ron turned and reached for Hermione at his side. Only half conscious something in his psyche knew that she had gone. Quickly more alert he felt Hermione's side of the bed, it was cold-he imagined she couldn't sleep. He expected that she had gone to read in the library but when he padded barefoot down the stairs to find her he found the library dark and deserted.

Panicked Ron began to search every ground floor room, then the garden. There was no sign of her. Reluctant to raise the alarm and wake the others for fear of looking a fool he padded back up the stairs to check the bathrooms. That was when he noticed it the sliver of light that shone around the door of Malfoy's room. _Surely she was not talking to Malfoy?_ He considered, _they had become rather close, perhaps she was._ Casting a muffliato he crept towards Malfoy's door. Some baser, more jealous part of him needed to know what it was that Hermione could talk to Malfoy about. It was only moments before he regretted those baser instincts.

Through the gap in the door, that was slightly ajar, he could see Malfoy's pale head resting on what at first he took for a soft comforter but he quickly realised it was not. The soft 'fabric' in shades of caramel and chocolate that Malfoy's head rested upon was Hermione.

Ron felt suddenly and violently sick; his brain couldn't understand what he was seeing. He didn't rant or rave, he didn't demand an explanation he simply fled the scene as if, if he couldn't see it, he could pretend it wasn't real.

_Hermione has betrayed me with Malfoy._ This was the only thing Ron could think. He sat at the foot of the bed careless of the cold and his state of semi-nakedness and he wept hot, silent tears.

* * *


	10. Jezebel

Draco stayed awake for hours just watching her sleep _. How could he have ever thought she was anything other than beautiful?_ He asked himself. He caressed her hair lightly as she lay there her head resting over his heart, the heart that she had stolen and he knew he was in all kinds of trouble.

Draco was in no doubts where this was heading and although they hadn't done anything but cuddle, she clung to him like a lover and he knew, if he stayed here, it was only a matter of time. Their relationship was like an impending train crash, you knew the train was going to crash but it was far too late to apply the brakes. Draco could not imagine any scenario where a relationship between himself and Hermione would end well despite his desperate desire to keep her safe and his desperate longing to be with her.

He was beyond fooling himself now. He knew, the moment she placed her head on his shoulder, that she was all he ever wanted. At first he had struggled to understand why he had fallen for her. Yes she was intelligent, no brilliant, and beautiful but what really sucked him in was her kindness.

He had been little more than an enemy to her and still she had cared about him. She had not wanted him to be bored, to feel isolated. She had spoken to him as a friend, reassured him, apologised when they had abandoned him. No one else had ever cared for him like this, no one except his mother, and he craved kindness like a man starved.

Draco knew that in another universe, one where there was no war, no blood prejudice he would have courted her-he would have married her. He knew that Hermione Granger was peerless. His parents could search the length and breadth of the Earth for his bride and they would never find her equal.

He contemplated asking her to run away with him but he knew it was hopeless, even if she would agree, which he doubted, they would be hunted. The dim bat duo would think he had kidnapped her or 'imperioed' her to go with him and Voldemort…he could barely dare contemplate what the Dark Lord might do to a Death Eater and Potter's infamous 'mud-blood' if they were found to be together.

Draco felt the tears prickle his eyes and he lay there letting them fall silently knowing it was hopeless but that he would take what pleasure she would allow him, whilst he could.

* * *

Hermione awoke to a feeling of comfortable warmth, her brain, dazed and still thick with sleep, did not immediately recognise where she was or who she was with. She gently smoothed her hand across the pectoral muscle beside her it was only then that it occurred to her that it was paler than it should be. _Malfoy._ She shuddered as she registered her surroundings.

Her legs were wrapped around Draco's, his hands were tangled in her hair as he slept peaceful. Draco's own hair was muzzled from sleep and he looked- edible. Hermione was suddenly alive with longing she wanted to nip, lick and kiss every millimetre of him. She had a sudden feeling of insatiable lust. She knew that, since their talks in the garden, they were friends, that Draco Malfoy was a better person than anyone thought, but this lust for him was something else. It was like there was some kind of bond between them a cord that was tightening and inexorably pulling them closer. Hermione took a deep breath willing herself to calm down.

The logically part of Hermione's brain finally kicked in and she realised that she must be insane, she had just left Ron's bed to slip into Draco's arms. _What sort of woman was she?_ She asked herself. This was the greatest act of betrayal, they might not have even kissed last night but she had slept in Draco's arms entwined with him like a lover. She ought to be overcome with guilt so why wasn't she? Deep down some innate part of Hermione recognised that this was where she was meant to be- in Draco's arms.

There was no turning back now, she had no idea if she had any future with Draco but she had to break it off with Ron. She burned with a passion for Draco that was lacking with Ron and she knew with absolute certainty that she would betray Ron again. That kiss Draco had given her, brutal and unexpected, had ignited something. Logically Hermione knew that any relationship she had with the Slytherin Prince could be short and brutal but… _would any of them survive?_ She asked herself and she determined that whilst she still breathed she was going to saviour every moment of life.

It seemed deeply selfish, in the midst of a war, to destroy Ron's hopes. Hermione knew he adored her and she loved him but the love she felt for Ron was not enough and she knew the greater betrayal was to live a lie, to lay with Ron and think of Draco. She wanted Draco in a way she had never experienced before, this was not a school girl crush it was a woman's passion.

Reluctantly Hermione moved to extricate herself from Draco's arms. Sensing her movement Draco tightened his grip, pulling her closer. She couldn't help it the temptation was too much. She grazed his jaw with her lips. It thrilled her to hear him utter a needy groan. _'No'_ , she told herself sternly she had to get up, she had to speak to Ron.

"Draco," she whispered, "I need to go."

"Stay," he muttered incoherently still not quite awake.

"I can't," she told him biting her lips in frustration, "I need to speak to Ron."

That seemed to snap Draco out of the stupor of sleep.

"Why?" he asked her cautiously, not daring to hope this might mean what he thought.

"Because I know I can't be with him anymore," she told him, "no matter what this is," she motioned between the two of them, "it has shown me one thing," she paused.

Draco waited holding his breath.

"It has taught me that what exists between Ron and I is not… the 'real thing'." Flushed with embarrassment Hermione turned away.

Hardly daring to hope that there might be a possibility of something between them Draco needed her to spell it out.

"And what about us?" he asked her terrified of what she might say.

"Us?" she questioned, "I don't know."

She didn't deny that there was something between them but, like Draco himself, she seemed to understand the barriers in their way.

"I don't know how there can be an _'us'_ ," Draco looked crestfallen so Hermione added, "though I wish I knew a way."

Still flushed with embarrassment she left his bed determined to make it right with Ron.

* * *

 _Hermione has betrayed me with Draco Malfoy;_ it was the only thought that passed through Ron's head. Ron didn't know how long he had sat there. He was numb, not only from cold but emotionally. Any hope he might have entertained that he had been mistaken in what he had seen, that he had misconstrued the situation faded as the night wore on and she didn't return to their bed.

 _He would have revenge, Malfoy will not get away with this, Hermione is mine,_ his brain screamed out. Ron knew she was too good for him but she was too bloody good for the blond haired ferret too. Strangely he didn't blame Malfoy. He was a Slytherin; it was in his nature, he would betray anyone to get what he wanted but Hermione…it made no sense.

He would give her the opportunity to explain. Taking a piece of parchment he wrote a note to make it clear that she had been found out. He wrote quickly and placed the note on her pillow where she was certain to find it. The note was simple, one word;

'Jezebel'.

* * *


	11. Collateral

**.**

Before Hermione could even reach her room she became aware of the sudden surge of activity downstairs.

"Ron, Hermione, Draco." Remus screamed from the stairwell, "Neville and his Grandmother."

Hermione raced into her room shoving her legs into a pair of jeans and pulling on a sweater over her head. Draco emerged from his room his blond head still only part way out of the collar of his polo shirt. They exchanged a brief glance but had no time to speak before Ron barged past them both.

"Ron," Hermione chastised trying to regain her balance. Ron ignored her pelting down the stairs towards the kitchen.

As soon as they were all there Remus told them what he knew;

"The Longbottom house is under attack by Death Eaters. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has clearly tired of waiting for the Longbottoms to declare their allegiance to him. The Order needs to provide a distraction to help them get away."

They all nodded.

"Hermione, Ron-you're with me we will take the front." Remus continued issuing orders like a campaigning General. "Harry, Ginny with Tonks-take the back."

"I'm sorry Draco…" he began apologetically, "we shouldn't be too long."

Draco nodded but he could already feel the panic mounting. Hermione could see it in his eyes.

"Go," Remus commanded.

"Wait," Hermione rushed to an old cake tin on a dresser. She removed something and returned to press it into Draco's hands. "You can contact Andromeda with this in an emergency." She didn't say 'if we don't come back', but he knew that was what she meant.

"When you've finished with the bloody lovers goodbye," Ron snarled.

"Ron?" Ginny demanded.

"What, do we have time for this?" Ron responded.

Remus sighed, "Just go, _now_."

* * *

They appeared outside Neville's family home no sooner did they land than they were assaulted. Hermione immediately shielded herself.

"Well hello deary," Hermione shivered at the demented drawl of Bellatrix Lastrange. "I thought you might come to join us. Look Frank dear," she addressed the man she held at wand point who Hermione realised was Neville's father, "isn't it nice of Neville's friends to join us? Perhaps he will come out and play now?"

Hermione quickly realised what was happening. Bellatrix was using Neville's father as collateral. A simple distraction was now not an option. Hermione steeled herself for the battle she now knew would ensue.

* * *

Despite the protean charm in his hand Draco could not relax. He knew now that, thanks to Hermione, he would not be trapped but he now worried for Hermione's safety. He kicked one of the kitchen chairs in frustration it shuddered on its rickety legs. She was putting herself in danger, he wanted to protect her but he could do nothing. He felt useless.

* * *

"Bella," Remus tried, seemingly in an attempt to negotiate with insane witch. It was a tactic, another means of distraction.

"Hello Mooney," she gave him a rictus grin, "long time no see. I thought someone would have put a mongrel like you down by now."

"Charming as always Bella," Remus responded.

Despite the abuse that Remus was receiving the distraction appeared to be working. Ron and Hermione slowly circled around Bellatrix attempting to outflank her but she was not as oblivious as she appeared.

Green light flooded Hermione's field of vision as she fell forward, propelled by the momentum of Ron's push. Something hot and wet splattered across Hermione's face as Bellatrix cackled like a demented crow.

Hermione urgently moved to free herself from beneath Ron's prone form. Only then did she smell the sickly metallic tang of blood. Around her curses flew as Remus and the others duelled with Bellatrix. Although Bellatrix was an accomplished duellist she was outnumbered and quickly retreated apparating away taking her hostage, Frank Longbottom with her.

"Are you hurt," Remus demanded.

"I'm fine," she called to him but Ron was not, "Ron needs help," she shouted, she could tell he was bleeding out an extensive wound dissected his torso.

"Ron, stay with us," she encouraged but he was no longer conscious, "Remus," she pleaded trying to apply as much pressure to the wound as she could. Her former professor got to work, trying to knit the wound together but it wouldn't hold. Whatever curse had been used its affects were prolonged.

"Remus," she pleaded again, "we're losing him." Lupin didn't waste time or energy on trying to calm her.

"Put pressure on the wound," he told her passing her a field dressing. Hermione clamped the dressing down on Ron's chest apply all the pressure she could. Blood oozed up on either side of the lint pad, the wound was too large, they couldn't stem the flow.

There was a flurry of movement from near the house. Neville appeared with a plethora of medical supplies.

Everything seemed to Hermione to move into slow motion. She was distantly aware of Ginny's screams.

"He's not breathing," she heard as Ginny yelled, frantic for her brother's life. Harry began muggle style CPR, attempting to breathe for his friend and keep his heart going. Neville moved to assist Lupin, knotting together the wound, but even two wands were not enough. It wasn't working.

As they worked frantically around her Hermione already knew it was too late. Ron's eyes were still, lifeless all that she saw in his eyes was her own ashen and bloodstained face reflected back.

Numb with shock she couldn't even rouse herself to say 'goodbye'.

* * *

The first thing that Draco took in as the first member of The Order reappeared in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place was blood. Hermione looked like she had bathed in it. Her face was ashen and she looked comatose with shock.

"Hermione," he rushed towards her assuming the worst, that she was injured. Nothing, she looked straight through him as if he were a shade, a spectre who didn't truly exist.

"Hermione," he tried again taking hold of her by her upper arms hoping physical contact might snap her out of it. Slowly her eyes focused, she looked him straight in the eye and pulled violently away. Draco, now confused and a little frightened by her behaviour, caught at her hand as she retreat from him. She snatched it away. "Hermione what is it? What happened?" he asked now beginning to panic.

The look she gave him destroyed any hope he had cherished of them being together.

"Don't touch me," she said with low menace, "don't you _ever_ touch me again."

The venom in her voice was like a viper's strike-she might as well have ripped out his heart. She had killed him, killed any hope he might have had from the night before, any hope that someone could ever care for him. He stood their stunned, multiple "pops" of apparition echoed around him and his heart, that had swelled with hope only hours earlier, contracted back into a dry shrivelled thing.

* * *


	12. Temporary Insanity.

* * *

All was chaos, but amid the wails of women; Draco pieced together what had happened. His lunatic aunt had killed Weasley.

He tried desperately to get Hermione to speak to him, he hoped against hope that she hadn't meant what she said but something had happened, something had stretched that bond between them to near breaking point and she would not acknowledge him.

* * *

Hermione needed to be clean; she stood in the shower watching the water turn a muddy pink as the remnants of Ron's life washed away. She stood there until the water ran cold and still she did not feel clean.

The cacophony of noise in her head wouldn't go away. That accusing inner voice that told she had betrayed Ron in every way that mattered and he had still died for her. Draco had wanted to comfort her but she couldn't bear to look at him because all she saw, reflected in his face, was her guilt.

"Hermione," she heard Ginny's gentle tone, "are you alright in there?" Hermione didn't answer but she turned off the water and stepped out to dry herself. It didn't matter; she would never be clean again. She had seen Ron's note on her pillow; 'Jezebel', he had known about her and Draco and yet he had still saved her life. That curse was intended for her. Hermione had seen the malice in Bellatrix's eyes. Ron had simply got in the way.

Eaten up with guilt Hermione sat on the bed, her knees pulled up to her chin and finally cried.

* * *

Harry had never seen Hermione react like she did that day. Malfoy had seemed to understand that he needed to give her space. But when she had sat for the best part of a week in a catatonic state Malfoy seemed unable to take it any longer.

"Hermione," he dragged her to one side after a breakfast where Hermione had done little more than push her food around her plate, "talk to me," he pleaded.

Harry knew that Draco meant well and he couldn't for the life of him understand why Hermione was responding to his Slytherin house guest this way. The last thing she had done before they left the house that day was to think of Draco's wellbeing and safety and now?

Then Harry recalled something that Ron had said, he had called it a 'lover's goodbye, _' was there something between Hermione and Malfoy?_ Harry wondered. He wasn't sure but he knew something was off.

"Why?" Hermione rounded on Malfoy in responses to his request. Malfoy looked like he had been stung.

"I don't understand what have I done?" Malfoy asked her bewildered.

Harry could see Hermione ire rising. She gripped Malfoy's arm and with a 'pop' they disappeared.

_'_ _Shit'_ , was all Harry could think. Hermione clearly wasn't stable and he had no idea where she had just apparated Malfoy to or what she intended to do with him there. Alarmed he went to look for Remus.

* * *

Hermione hadn't taken Malfoy far at all. They landed in the green space outside Grimmauld Place, Draco stumbled as they landed taken by surprise by Hermione's side along apparation.

It was reckless, they were outside the wards that protected The Order's headquarters but she needed to talk to him in private and the garden or either of their rooms were out of the question.

"Are you insane," he rounded on her trying to hold down his breakfast. It was not that he was angry with her but rather he was concerned for her safety.

"You," she began pushing into his chest with a deliberate staccato movement, "cost Ron his life."

"How…what?" Draco spluttered.

"He knew!" she screamed at him, "Ron knew."

Draco reached out to her, he didn't understand but he knew Hermione was upset. That was a mistake; in her distressed state Hermione was humming with raw magic the contact hit Draco like a billion volts. Draco flew across the park, landing in a comatose and crumbled state pressed to the iron railings that enclosed the green space.

Hermione's conscious brain could not compute what she had done. She stood staring at Draco's prone body, he wasn't moving. Her brain had become too emotionally traumatised to cope. Her subconscious took over leading her on auto-pilot to apparate back to safety, back inside Grimmauld Place leaving Draco on the ground and vulnerable in the now pouring rain.

* * *

"Hermione," Harry greeted her with relief as soon as she appeared but the relief was short lived as he realised she was alone.

"Hermione, where's Malfoy?" Nothing she didn't respond Harry tried again, "Hermione where's Draco?"

Nothing, not even a flicker. By now Remus had joined him already aware of what had transpired earlier. Remus tried;

"Hermione, look at me," Remus coaxed, "do you know where Draco is?"

Hermione looked up and met Remus' eyes.

"He's dead isn't he?" she asked. There was an audible thunk as Harry's head slipped back in despair hitting the wooden cupboard door behind him. His brilliant friend seemed to have succumbed to temporary insanity. She didn't seem to be aware of where or when she was.

"Yes Ron's dead." Remus reminded her but this seemed to only increase her agitation.

"No, no," she cried out shaking her head.

Remus tried to calm her but she remained agitated.

"Hermione what is it? Can you tell me?" Remus continued to press in his gently fatherly tone.

Nothing, again she didn't respond but continued to ring her hands in agitations. Harry tried again.

"'Mione, do you know where Draco has gone?"

"He's gone," she told him appearing a little more lucid.

"Where Hermione, where has he gone?" Remus asked worried the younger Malfoy had done something stupid.

"Draco Malfoy is dead, I killed him." Hermione announced forcefully.

Preternatural silence descended on the room.

* * *

The shocked silence that had descended on the room seemed to grip and squeeze the air out of their lungs. No one spoke. Finally after what seemed like forever Remus asked what they had all been wondering.

"Where did you leave him Hermione?"

Hermione's eyes seemed gentler, calmer now that she had said what needed to be said.

"In the rain," she told him. Harry sighed and shook his head in disbelief. Remus pressed on;

"Is he in the garden? Can you take me to him?"

"Yes," Hermione held out her hand to Remus like a small child and they apparated away.

Harry stared at the space where his friend had sat a moment before. To Harry she seemed broken, Hermione had coped with so much yet this seemed to have destroyed her. _What had happened between Hermione and Malfoy?_ He wondered and why had no one noticed. He was snapped out of his reverie by Ginny wrapping her arms gently across his shoulders.

"Harry what happened?" She asked her voice hoarse and concerned. Harry shook his head;

"I have absolutely no idea," he told her honestly feeling the weight of responsibility once again heavy on his shoulders.


	13. Gone

Remus landed with some grace considering his fear that Hermione might splinch them. In fact they could have walked. They were outside the doors of 12 Grimmauld Place. It was grey and a fine drizzle continued to slick every surface.

Hermione pointed to the green space before them as if to indicate Draco was there. It was worse than Remus had thought. Hermione had indicated a public space where muggles might see or find the body. They needed to act quickly before muggle police arrived and muggle lives were placed at risk.

"Show me," he coaxed gently.

Hermione crossed the street, slowing entering the green space, as if in a trance. She looked to the spot where Draco had fallen. There was nothing there, in confusion she spun around _was_ _she_ _disorientated had she been facing the other way_? But no matter what direction she faced there was no sign of a body.

Remus reasoned to himself that there had not been enough time for someone to remove Draco's body. _So where had it gone?_ He Considered.

Taking Hermione's arm he walked her gently back to the doors of Grimmauld Place. She had begun to sob.

"Where is he?" she demanded of Remus. There was nothing Remus could say because he simply didn't know.

* * *

Draco awoke to find he was soaking wet and his nerves were still twitching from the aftershock of Hermione's raw magic. He knew it was a miracle she hadn't killed him. Tentatively Draco sat up to survey his surroundings. There was no one about, he hadn't the slightest idea where he was or where Hermione had gone all he knew was that he had to get out of sight before his all too distinctive features were recognised and he found himself with unwanted company.

Standing, still shaky on his legs, he brushed down his mud splattered clothes. His hands were like ice and he jammed them deep into his pockets. That was when his right hand brushed up against something small round and solid. _The protean charm_ , Draco recalled, it would take him to his aunt Andromeda. Although Draco didn't know his aunt, he knew she was a better chance than staying here, deciding to take the risk he rubbed the charm gently.

* * *

Re-entering Grimmauld Place they were met by a concerned looking Harry and Ginny. Harry's worried look quickly transformed to confusion as he realised that they had not returned with Draco.

"Ginny," Remus addressed the red haired Gryffindor, "can you take Hermione to lie down somewhere, I think some sleep might do her good."

As the two young women disappeared Remus signalled to Harry to join him in an adjoining room.

"Where is he?" Harry began his confusion still apparent in his voice.

"I don't know but there are clearly only two possibilities, either he is dead and someone has taken his body or he isn't dead and he has moved himself. It is the latter possibility that concerns me most Harry, " Remus told his young friend before continuing, " some weeks ago Draco came to me offering his help, he wanted to return to the Manor, take his chances in re-joining the Death Eaters so he could act as a spy. I told him 'no' but with few other places to go I'm concerned he may have done something stupid and he might have compromised our security."

"So what do we do now?" Harry asked.

"Be very much on our guard, leave for another safe house as soon as we can, until we know that Grimmauld Place is not compromised and try to contact Severus."

Harry nodded in agreement.

* * *

Some hours later Snape sat across the kitchen table at Grimmauld Place glowering at Harry.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Snape demanded.

With a long suffering sigh Remus explained what had happened.

"Well one thing I can confirm," Snape told them, "he is not at Malfoy Manor so you are safe here at least for the time being. So that means he has either found some other refuge or he _is_ dead. What exactly has Miss Granger told you perhaps I could speak to her?"

"I'm not sure that is a good idea Severus," Remus told him.

"Why?" Severus asked with characteristic bluntness.

"Because she isn't quite herself."

Snape raised a dark brow, "explain."

"Hermione has suffered a mental collapse; it seems the loss of Ron followed by the incident with Draco has caused part of her brain to shut down. It is difficult to get any sense out of her."

"Perhaps I could…" Snape began.

"No!" Harry spoke for the first time, "not until she is lucid enough to give her consent."

"In the meantime then we had better hope that my Godson is and can stay alive on his own," Snape retorted with a bitter sneer.

"Harry," Remus began gently, "perhaps we can try, see whether Hermione is up to it."

"No," Harry was insistent, "I don't care what's happened to Malfoy, Hermione is like my sister…"

Snape bristled at that comment but before he could fire one of his stinging retorts Remus interrupted.

"Harry, would Hermione want Draco to die if she could save him?"

Harry knew that she wouldn't, he shook his head with bitter resignation, "I will go and get her."

* * *

 _Andromeda bears a striking resemblance to Bellatrix,_ Draco thought as she stepped from the shadows to greet him. But Andromeda, unlike Voldemort's lieutenant, had none of the signs of madness and like his own mother she retained much of the renowned beauty of the Black sisters.

"Nephew," she greeted him.

"Aunt," he inclined his head in a small polite bow.

"I had thought I would never meet you," she told him, "I see you are uncommonly like your father as your mother has told me."

Draco's eyebrows shot up at that he was not aware that his aunt and mother had any contact at all.

"That surprises you I see," she responded to his startled look, "your mother was too proud of you not to share word of your growth and development with her elder sister."

"Oh!" was Draco's only response.

"So Draco shall we get to the point, what is it that you want?"

Seeing no point in prevaricating Draco came straight out with it, "Sanctuary."


	14. Out of Body experience

Tonks brought Hermione into the kitchen, sat her down gently before kneeling before her to speak.

"Hermione," the younger witch met her eyes, "we need to find out what happened to Draco, Severus would like to look into your memories if you will allow him?"

Hermione stiffened looking towards he old potions professor and paling, she shook her head.

"I'm sorry Severus," Tonks turned sombrely to the dark haired man but Snape seemed unwilling to give up so easily- if there was any chance of finding Draco alive he had to pursue it.

"Let me try?" he asked quietly kneeling before Hermione so he could look clearly into her face. Snape spoke to Hermione with a gentleness and patients few had ever witnessed.

"Miss Granger," he began formally before realising that using her formal title might not be the right approach, "Hermione," he corrected himself, "you would want to help a person in trouble, in danger-if you could." He told her, it was an assertion not a question and she nodded quietly showing at least some lucidity. "You would even help Draco." At the mention of the blond wizard's name she paled still further. Everyone watched with baited breath, worried the mention of that name might send her over the edge again.

"He's gone, Professor," she told Snape beginning the first coherent conversation she had had in days, "he's dead, I killed him." She concluded closing her eyes to hold back the well of tears that gathered there.

Taking a deep breath himself, struggling it seemed to hold back his own emotions, Snape asked one more question:

"Can you be sure, entirely sure that is the case?"

Something sparked for a moment in Hermione, hope. She slowing shook her head.

"May I see?" Snape asked for her consent one more time.

Hermione gave a barely perceptible nod of agreement.

Hermione sucked in her breath as she felt Snape touch her mind. Slipping through her memories she watched her encounters with Draco slip by as if it was some out of body experience. She watched herself examine his face that first day he arrived in Grimmauld Place, the first time she had realised how handsome he was.; Sitting with him in the garden on the Lutyen's bench, the smell of lily and jasmine heavy in the air, that searing kiss and the feel of his weight against her body, lying on his bed listening to the steady beat of his heart as he slept peaceful. Finally they reached _that_ day;

"You," she saw her accusation replayed, "cost Ron his life."

"How…what?" she could see the confusion as Draco spluttered.

"He knew!" she saw herself scream at him, "Ron knew." Then Draco's body flew through the air and there was a sickening thump as he landed.

"Draco," Hermione sobbed, "I'm sorry."

Snape withdrew from her mind but said nothing.

Had Tonks not known better she would have sworn there was a moment when she saw something glisten in Snape's eyes but perhaps it was just a trick of the light.

"Anything Severus," Remus asked his former colleague quietly.

Snape shook his head, "Only that we can't know that Draco _is_ dead."

It was little hope but, Merlin knew in those dark times, any hope at all was a boon.

* * *

Hermione had not thought she would sleep, for nights now she had only had fleeting moments of rest always punctuated by nightmare. She stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling above her bed and wondered why Snape had said nothing. He must have known what those memories meant. He must have seen her guilt at Ron's death and her despair over what had happened to Draco. Snape must have seen that Draco's loss had made her painfully acknowledge that she was in love with her former enemy. She had barely allowed herself to think of Snape's words; _could she be sure? No she couldn't,_ she told herself, _why had she not checked?_ She wanted to hope, some part of her felt he was not gone but she was afraid to acknowledge it.

Despite the agitation and turmoil she felt somehow Hermione drifted into sleep.

In her dream, in her subconscious mind Hermione saw Draco; he was standing in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place, looking out on the world just like she had seen him do so many times. The window behind him gave him an aura of light. He was beautiful more angel than ghost.

He turned, his shirt open at the front, toned porcelain covered muscle were bisected by a pale scar visible only on his left pectoral. Suddenly she was across the room her small fingers tracing the line of that scar. Gently brushing across his chest, she felt his head dip and then his mouth caress her throat. "Draco," she moaned with desire. Then she felt she was naked before him, his left hand caressed her side gently brushing the edge of her breast, he pulled her closer, she writhed against the heat of him, moaning his name with need. Soft angel wings enfolded her in a lovers embrace and she looked into his liquid silver eyes. "I love you, Draco," she told him, "come back to me," she begged.

Draco's angel began to weep, large silver tears turning to red. Blood flowed down his cheeks and the wings that had encased her so softly grew rough, coarse and blackened to the pitch of hell. Draco's eyes turned red, his beautiful face distorted, his nostrils mere slits. His forked tongue flicking out at her as he hissed;

"You're mine now mud-blood."

* * *

Hermione woke up as Harry cradled her in his arms,

"It's okay," he told her, "it was just a nightmare."

Hermione shook her head trying to shake off the visions of the nightmare but those red eyes were burning into her consciousness and she despaired of the living nightmare that her life had become.

"Perhaps you need a little break Hermione; a change of scene," Harry suggested, "Shell Cottage would have been ideal, but not possible now, perhaps somewhere else where you can have a little fresh air, where you are not cooped up between 4 walls."

_Where the memories are not so close and so bitter._ Hermione silently added for him.

_"_ Perhaps that would be a good idea," she agreed wearily. In truth she didn't care, the nightmares would go with her, but at least she could ease Harry's burden make him feel he was doing something to help.

* * *


	15. House Guest

Ron's funeral was a sober affair. The Weasley's stood, black veiled and black gloved around the open grave in the small family plot behind the Burrows. Ginny leaned heavily on Harry's arm her red hair blowing like a flame whipped up by the strong gusts of a chill breeze.

All other colour seemed to have been leeched out of the world. Bled away with the tears of the grieving. Molly could barely stand, her grief for her youngest son was so crippling. Arthur tried to be strong for his wife but Hermione could see he too was broken. The twins, Fred and George, she had never seen them without a smile on their faces. To Hermione it was the clearest sign that their world was dying. All joy and laughter seemed lost. Hermione felt like she was dying too, something inside her had given up.

As Ron was lowered into his grave friends and family stepped forward to say their farewells. Harry had all but choked on his words but at least he had spoken. Hermione couldn't, there was nothing she could think of to say. Finally she choked out: "I'm sorry," she supposed everyone believed she blamed herself for his death. Ron had died protecting _her_ but she knew the truth. He had died believing she had betrayed his love and the thought of that was so bitter she could not give it voice.

Hermione winced slightly as they made their way back towards the Burrows, her clothes rubbed the still tender skin on her hip. Perhaps it was morbid but she had awoken in the night and decided she wanted to ensure she remembered everyone she had lost. Already Ron's face was dimming in her mind's eye. She needed a permanent assurance she would never forget. She had made her way to muggle London, found a tattoo artist and had him tattoo the names of those she had lost down her right hip and thigh. She had almost laughed when he asked how to spell Dumbledore. In the end she had given him a list.

"Last one," the tattooist had informed her, "then the pain will be over." As the tattoo artist continued to talk she had wished the pain could be over so easily. "You have some very strange names here. Draco?" he had questioned.

"It means 'dragon'," she had told him sombrely.

"Perhaps you might like some art to go with the name it seems important to you?"

"No thank you," she had said politely.

She had heard the buzz of the machine start up again.

"Stop!" She had cried out startling the man half out of his wits, "I've changed my mind about this one."

She hadn't been able give up on that small glimmer of hope. Writing his name amongst the dead seemed like tempting fate.

* * *

The next morning Hermione was packed and ready to leave Grimmauld Place but there was one thing she needed to do before she left. Silencing her footfall she crept down to Draco's room. It remained undisturbed, almost clinically tidy, just how he had left it. His bed made, his clothes still in his closet, the book he had been reading with its page marked still beside his bed.

Hermione ran her fingers along the soft bed linen grasping up his pillow and sinking her face into the soft down, it smelt of him, as she knew it would and she choked down the tears as she realised that this, like her memories of him would fade and one day she would barely recall what he looked like.

"Hermione," she heard Tonks' voice call her from below, "are you ready?" _She would never be ready to leave this behind,_ Hermione told herself but she turned to leave Draco's room closing the door with gentle reverence.

As she reached the foot of the stairs Tonks gave her a half-smile taking her arm gently before apparating them away.

"I sent my mother a fire message earlier," Tonks told her as they reappeared before a stately and well maintained red brick house. "She said that she was happy for you to stay if you wished but she did have another house guest and when you knew who it was you might change your mind."

Hermione cocked her head to one side looking at her friend with curiosity.

"Who?" she asked.

Tonks shrugged, "I guess we'll find out."

"Andy," Hermione greeted the older women as the door opened.

"Hermione," the older women replied pulling Hermione into a tight embrace, "I hear you have been unwell," Andromeda continued with motherly concern.

"I'll be fine," Hermione reassured her host.

"Of course, come in let me take your coat and make you some tea." It was a mere matter of moments before Andromeda had magically made Hermione's tea. Hermione, now sat down by the fire and took in the homely charm of Tonk's childhood home.

"This is such a lovely room," she told the other two women honestly.

"Good, I'm glad you like it, I hope it will help you to relax." Andromeda said before turning to her daughter, "Nymphadora if I might have a word, in private."

Hermione couldn't help but feel Tonks was in for a scolding but she nodded her assent and settled back into the comfort of the armchair, sipped her tea and determined to focus on the simple pleasures still available to her.

* * *

"Mother?" Tonks enquired.

"I have another house guest," Andromeda told her daughter in hushed tones. "He arrived a few days ago, whilst instinct tells me he can be trusted I didn't dare risk anything, I was about to contact you when your fire message arrived. I am not sure how Hermione will react; my understanding is they hate each other."

Concluding her statement Andromeda ushered her daughter into the adjoining room.

Her mother's house guest stood by the window. His shoulders square his back straight, Tonks had never realised before what good posture he had.

"You bloody scoundrel," she chastised as she raced across the room to gather him into her arms, "we thought you were dead!"

"I very nearly was," he responded wryly.

"What about our other guest?" Andromeda enquired of her daughter. Tonks beamed back at her mother.

"Oh trust me mother, she won't mind." Tonks confirmed shaking her head in disbelief.

* * *

Hermione imagined it must be serious if it was taking so long. The tea and the warmth of the fire had made her drowsy and Hermione thought she must have nodded off as she did not hear Tonks when she returned to the room.

"Hermione, Mum would like you to meet her other house guest," Tonks said a little sparkle in her eyes as she pulled her friend to her feet leading her to the adjoining room.

"What?" Hermione enquired a grin lifting the edge of her lips at the impish mischief apparent in her friend's eyes, "you're up to something," Hermione concluded. Tonks just smirked as she pushed her through the door.

Hermione did not hear the door close gently behind her she was too transfixed by what she saw in that room. It could have been the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. He was standing by the fire with his back to her, one hand resting on the mantel while the other ran, somewhat shakily thorough his hair. Closing her eyes briefly Hermione offered up a prayer to whatever deity had heard her pleas before she virtually threw herself across the room. He turned at the sound of her approach and Hermione forgetting all restraint and propriety threw herself at him clasping her arms around his neck so forcefully he almost stumbled backwards.

"I'm so sorry," she began kissing his checks as tears of joy slipped down her face, "I'm so sorry," she repeated.

* * *


	16. Stay with me

Draco had nearly died of shock when his aunt told him who her new house guest was.

"She hates me," he'd said looking with pleading eyes at his cousin knowing that he might have to leave for Hermione's peace of mind.

"No she doesn't," Tonks told him placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"But…" he began, his cousin cut him off.

"I have watched her mourn you, she is broken Draco. Hermione Granger, who survived the Department of Mysteries, who stood toe to toe in a duel with Death Eaters and walked away, crumpled when she thought you were gone." Tonks told him.

"You're mistaken cousin, Granger was not broken by any affection for me," he told her, "she was broken by guilt."

Tonks shook her head, "You're wrong Draco, she was-she is, in love with you."

Draco looked at his cousin aghast.

"We'll see-twenty galleons she tries to slap me _again_!" Draco challenged.

"Done!" Tonks agreed smirking at him, "I will go and get her then."

Andromeda eyed him carefully after her daughter had left the room. Her scrutiny was unnerving like his mother’s but when she had seemingly reached some sort of conclusion about him, she nodded and left the room leaving Draco to wait alone.

His hands were trembling by the time Tonks returned, he hoped to Merlin Hermione wouldn't attack him but he was very much afraid she might. He heard the soft click of the door as it closed, he nervously pushed back his hair then heard rapid footsteps heading towards, he spun ready to defend himself and she flew into his arms.

At first he was so shocked he almost lost his balance, and then she was speaking to him,

"I'm so sorry," she said, placing a tear stained kiss on his cheek, "I'm so sorry," she told him.

Draco's heart was beating so fast it was barely contained within his chest. He pulled her in to him, breathing in that characteristic smell of jasmine.

"I thought you hated me," he whispered breathlessly into the shell of her ear. She didn't say anything but sobbed again as she caressed the line of his jaw with small tear salted kisses. He buried his hands in her hair. "Hermione," he said in a choked whisper. She didn't speak, she kissed the corner of his mouth, ran her tongue along his lower lip. Draco's breath hitched as she kissed him hard. He responded immediately bleeding every ounce of his longing into their kiss fearing that he might never be allowed to touch her again. Finally, near delirious from lack of air he reluctantly pulled away.

Draco knew he was trembling as she buried her face against his chest. He pulled his arms around her tightening his grip. _I will not let you go,_ he swore to himself and he meant it both literally and figuratively.

They stood there for a very long time, neither moving nor speaking, content merely to hold each other, knowing that for now, at least, they were both safe.

It was dark when a small 'clearing of the throat' brought their attentions back to the real world.

"I think perhaps you should eat." His aunt Andromeda said her face quirking into a smile as she clearly resisted the urge to tease.

Draco took Hermione's hand and led her from the room.

* * *

It had taken Hermione some time to register any coherent thought. For what felt like hours she had been content to revel in his warmth, the smell of him. She had not dared to let go, fearing that he was some phantom and if she let go he would disappear.

As some logic finally returned to her she realised it had been wrong of her to blame Draco for Ron's death. It was her own guilt that had been talking and she owed him an apology. Besides she knew where the real blame rested, with Bellatrix and her demonic master.

She sat listening intently at lunch as Draco explained how he had found his way to his aunt's home. She had to admit to herself that it took a tiny bit of the edge off her guilt to hear that the protean charm she had given him had kept him safe in the end.

When the meal was over Tonks said her farewells, she was eager to return to Grimmauld Place be the barer of good news for once. Andromeda moved to see her daughter out.

"I thought you were dead, I thought I had killed," Hermione told him in a breathless rush, "don't ever do that to me again," she said in an echo of Draco's own words. Draco smirked;

"I will try not to," he promised.

* * *

Although she had thought she would stay awake all night, that nothing could stop her staring at the miracle that was Draco Malfoy alive and well, as the hours past Morpheus slowly crept across the room. Hermione, resting in Draco's lap, her head snuggly against his shoulder, went to sleep. Draco smiled at her fondly and somewhat awkwardly, trying not to jostle her from her sleep, rose with her in his arms and carried her to bed.

His aunt had given Hermione the room across from his own, _it is a beautiful room,_ he thought idly as he lay Hermione down on the large bed, removing her shoes and gently covering her with the soft down duvet.

"Good night beautiful," he whispered tenderly placing a chaste kiss on her lips, "sleep well," he added as he slipped noiselessly from the room.

In his own room Draco stripped down to his boxers and climbed into his own bed quickly succumbing to sleep.

"Draco!" he was jolted awake by her pained screams, not waiting to dress he tore across the hall way into her room. When she saw him she sobbed,

"I thought it wasn't real," she told him as she hiccupped through her tears, " I thought I had dreamt you."

He moved towards her seating himself at her side and pulled her close.

"It's alright," he reassured, "I'm here, I'm alive."

"I need to know this is not a dream, stay with me Draco." She pleaded.

* * *


	17. Blood Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Polite reminder before you read on this story is 'M' rated-you have been warned!

Hermione moved aside throwing back the duvet to indicate that Draco should join her. Draco slipped under the covers next to her. In an echo of that night, before Weasley's death, she rested her head on his bare right shoulder. Before Draco could speak she had brought her hand up to trace the line of his collar bone.

"I need to know this is real," she told him, "that you are real. I need to know you're mine," she concluded pressing small kisses across the expanse of his chest. As she moved lower Draco's blood began to heat.

"I thought I'd lost you," he told her in a throaty whisper. Hermione continued lower past his navel, following the line of the darker blond hair that trailed into his groin. "Merlin, Hermione," he groaned, "there is only so much teasing a man can take." Draco took her shoulders and sought to pull her back towards his lips. She resisted, "Hermione," he groaned again feeling his restraint slipping as his blood rushed south along with her kisses.

"I wouldn't tease you Draco," she told him breathlessly.

"Marry me!" he suddenly blurted out, "I need you to be mine."

Hermione looked at him as if he were insane.

"You are barely 17," she burst out.

Draco stiffened, "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you didn't feel the same," he began rising to leaving his pride stinging. She caught his hand, a look of utter confusion on her face.

"Draco don't!" she said dropping her head as he pulled away.

It suddenly occurred to him that she didn't appreciate the significance of what they had clearly been about to do. _Weasley was a pureblood had never told her?_ He wondered. Before he irrevocably spoiled things he decided to ask.

"Hermione do you understand that in pureblood society," he knew he was blushing as he sought to explain, he swallowed, his throat dry. Taking a shaky breath he began again, "in pure blood society a couple would never be _intimate_ unless they were to be married. I would have thought Wea…Ron would have told you this."

"Oh," she said, "Oh, no! Ron and I never…I had nightmares, we shared a bed for _comfort_ …you thought…oh!" It was Hermione's turn to be embarrassed now, there was an awkward silence. Draco was the first to speak,

"I know we are only young but how long will we have?" he asked, "we could wait but might never…" he trailed off voicing, for the first time, the reality of the war that they found themselves in the midst of.

"Draco, she interrupted him, in muggle society you wouldn't need to promise to marry me as long as we both consent, there would be no obligation."

Draco sighed, "I have broken so many traditions by even being with you, this was one I wanted to keep…" he seemed lost in thought for a moment before he continued, "if we are married I can protect you better, there are certain benefits from being a Malfoy bride, blood magic," he clarified at her look of concern, "old magic, not dark magic, that would protect you."

"Draco there is…" he didn't allow her to finish;

"If we become intimate we become each other's weakness. Do you think there isn't anything I wouldn't do to save you, protect you, anything I wouldn’t risk or say? Do you think that our enemies would not exploit this? The old magic is a protection to help against this _weakness_. To keep you safe." He dropped his head until his forehead rested against hers.

"Do you think there isn't anything I wouldn't do to save you too?" Hermione asked him quietly. He gave her a wane smile.

"The magic works both ways…" Draco began.

"Yes," Hermione interrupted him again, "If you are sure. I want you so much, if I should lose you again and never..." she couldn't finish as emotion choked her. Draco looked confused so she clarified.

"Yes, I will marry you if you still mean it."

Draco couldn't speak but he determined to show her how much he had meant it as he pushed her back against the covers. His first touch was gentle; reverent, he ran his hands across her shoulders pushing aside the thin cotton shirt she was still wearing from earlier. Her neck and shoulders now exposed he trailed his lips along her shoulders she dropped her head in response nuzzling behind his ear. She sighed deeply; Draco felt the muscles in his groin tighten in response.

Draco felt almost delirious, her hands were everywhere charging every nerve fibre with desire, she grasped fists full of his hair kissing him hard. So hard it seemed as if she wanted to melt into him. He ran his tongue across her lower lip, begging her to open for him. She did; the softness and the warmth of her mouth overwhelming him. It tasted so sweet, it felt so intimate. Draco shivered with a wave of desire as her hands caressed the long lines of his back, dipping below the waist band of his boxers, her finger fanned out to brush the taut, rounded muscles of his buttocks. Draco gasped as her nails dug in, seeking greater purchase to pull him closer.

Hermione was still dressed, _unfair_ , some feral part of him thought. Raising his hand to slip the straps of her bra from her shoulders, tentatively Draco brushed the underside of her breast through the delicate white lace that covered them. He felt her shudder in reaction to his touch. Hermione lifted her hand to cup his own large one encouraging his touch, showing him through her actions what she needed. Emboldened by her encouragement Draco slipped the hooks at her back allowing her deliciously rounded bust to fall free. Her eyes rolled back as he ran delicate circles over her dusky pink nipples, that were now tight and erect from his attentions. He had to taste them. Draco dropped his mouth drawing in her sweet soft skin. Hermione's back ached towards him her hands stroking his jaw as his mouth massaged her right nipple. His other hand went to her left gently tugging and twisting the delicious pink skin.

"Draco," the way she sighed his name almost had him undone. He had felt that twitch of desire immediately she had touched his bare skin but now he was hard and erect and hoped desperately that he could hold himself back enough to attend to her pleasure. He knew she was feeling it too, her skin was warm and flushed pink and she had begun, consciously or not, to rub against his hardened member. It was driving him wild.

Hermione was now naked above the waist but she wanted more. She wanted to feel every ounce of her flesh pressed against Draco's. She felt an ache between her thighs that was increasingly insistent; despite her inexperience she knew what it was; it was the ache to feel him inside her. She had no doubts, Draco was the one, he would be her first and there would be no regrets even if he decided not to marry her tomorrow. She knew she wanted this and that if she didn't make love to him she would regret it.

Easing herself out of her jeans she pulled him back over her. She could feel the hard steel of his length pressed against her thigh and she wanted to touch him. Not really knowing what she was doing but led by instinct she slipped her hand between them running her index finger along the waist band of his boxers. Reaching the front her finger tips brushed the silken tip of his head. It felt so warm and soft and she instinctively ran her fingers around his tip, gently caressing the softness. Draco's chin flew back and he growled in feral pleasure, as she closed her palm circling his length, he shuddered.

"Hermione," he moaned.

That ache for him was more insistent now; she could feel her desire soaking the gusset of her briefs. Rolling Draco onto his back she straddled his hips, rubbing her cloth covered entrance against his swollen head.

"Please Draco," she moaned.

Draco needed no further encouragement, his pulse was hammering, he had bitten the inside of his mouth until it bleed in an attempt to hold himself back but he knew he couldn't rush this. Gently; teasing aside the hem of her briefs Draco ran a finger along her wet pulsing lips, finding that knot of nerves that he knew could drive her wild. Slowly he caressed and rubbed her clit until she audibly gasped-instinctively he knew she was near, his sensitive finger tips could feel her pulse and tense as he slipped a finger into her. She rode his hand grinding down,

"More," she breathed, he added another finger working them in and out to stretch her open for him.

"Draco," she forced out writhing below him, "please."

He was quick to move, he knew his own inexperience would not allow him to hold back for long, positioning himself at her entrance he pushed forward his hips moving like a piston.

Hermione whimpered, her nails digging deep into his shoulders Draco stilled, he knew that it would hurt her at first, that she would need to adjust to the feel of him, he waited holding his breath.

Hermione felt the sting of pain as Draco pushed into her, she had expected it but still it had taken her by surprise. Draco had stilled as if he were afraid to move. She stroked the long lines of his back as she felt herself adapt and adjust to the feel of him inside her. He felt magnificent.

"Are you ok?" he asked his face coloured with desperate concern.

She didn't answer; she kissed him hard, clasped his buttocks and tilted her hips to invite him deeper. He kissed her back intensely as he began to establish an easy rhythm.

Draco thanked all the deities he could name when she shuddered below him letting go her passion at his riotous pace. It was too much, he couldn't hold back any longer and he burst forth, his vision blacking at the force of his ejaculation.

Hermione, barely conscious of anything but her own pleasure, watched his face as he came apart inside her and she knew that as she took her last breath upon this Earth his would be the face she would see.


	18. Certain Practical Difficulties

Draco awoke the next morning grateful to find his witch still in his arms, grateful that they had this small window of peace and that they had slept in a soft bed in a pretty room. He was equally grateful that her first time had not been some rushed affair, pushed up against some wall- at least he knew, come what may, they would have this one sweet memory to fall back on.

In the days that followed they fell into a simple routine, there was a tacit agreement that Hermione was not ready to return to the Order but with Draco's help she was making rapid progress. They had found a loveseat in the grounds of his aunt's house and they resumed their meeting in the garden at dusk. In the shade of an old apple tree they dared to contemplate a future. Perhaps it was foolhardy to make plans during a war but they both understood there was little point fighting if you could see no future.

Draco had not mentioned marriage to her again, she didn't seem to mind, maybe she thought he had decided to follow the muggle tradition after all. In truth he had not mentioned it because he was uncertain how it could be achieved. Draco didn't wish to appear insincere- he had meant what he had said and he was determined to go through with it, to protect Hermione as best he could. In the end he turned to his aunt for guidance.

"Aunt Andromeda," he began one morning as they left the breakfast table, "there is a family matter I would like your advice about."

"Yes?" his aunt replied.

"Could we speak in private?" Draco enquired, although there was no one about Draco did not wish to risk being over heard.

"Of course," his aunt conceded showing him into her private sitting room. Once inside with the door closed and the room silenced Andromeda waited for him to begin.

Draco took a deep breath and got straight to the point;

"I have asked Hermione to marry me," he announced. His aunt's only response was a knowing smile so he continued. "I wish to ensure that she is afforded all the protection usual for a Malfoy bride." At this his aunt raised her eyebrows, "there are of course certain practical difficulties."

"Draco," his aunt cautioned, "whilst I admire your wish to protect Hermione as much as I admire your choice of wife, you can't be seriously thinking what I think you are."

"That depends…" he began

"Don't play games with me young man," his aunt told him in a no nonsense tone, "you want to use the blood magic of the Malfoy family to protect your bride, but as you put it there are 'certain practical difficulties', somewhat of an understatement don't you think, Draco! Even assuming your father will allow the match your marriage must be performed on Malfoy land inside Malfoy wards to invoke that protection- and the last time I heard your home is currently paying host to a homicidal manic who has your fiancée very near the top of his list of undesirables."

“Oh course I'm aware of that, I'm not an idiot,” he snapped before taking a calming breath, "I'm sorry aunt," he apologised, "Hermione is very important to me."

"I know," Andromeda said placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "but currently the risks appear to be outweigh the benefits," she counselled.

"But does it have to be the Manor? Does the ceremony have to be there or can it be some other Malfoy land?" he questioned.

"Good question, Draco," Andromeda responded, "to be honest I don't know. I suspect that the magic would be strongest at your families primary residence but perhaps not…" she paused to think, "Perhaps it is strongest where the family members are but that would still leave the problem of your father."

"If I ignore my father's wishes, or simply don't tell him, will the magic still work?"

"I don't know," Andromeda confessed, "but he _will_ know if you touch the family wards. I'm sorry to ask this Draco but can you be sure your father's loyalty to you is greater than it is to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

A flicker of uncertainty passed across Draco's face, he didn't need to answer Andromeda knew what he suspected.

"I thought not," his aunt confirmed, "I fear you may need to wait-we will protect each other as best we can for now. Concealment is our best defence-in the mean time I will see what your mother might be able to do to help."

* * *

Weeks passed and there was still no word from Narcissa. Hermione showed signs of slow recovery as she and Draco lived an idyllic life cloistered from the war and its dangers but there peaceful idyll was shattered one Sunday afternoon.

Draco and Hermione sat together on the settle, Hermione nestled between Draco's thighs her head resting on his shoulder her right cheek pressed against his jaw as she read to him,

_'_ _The Lord Faramir was walking alone in the garden of the House of Healing, and the sun warmed him…'_

Hermione read from the muggle classic that had kept Draco enthralled for days when they sensed that Andromeda had walked tentatively into the room. Andromeda had been at pains to give the young couple their privacy her intrusion told them instinctively something was wrong.

"Draco," his aunt began sombrely, "I'm so sorry it's Severus…"

Draco heard little of what his aunt had to say as Hermione asked her what had happened but dimly, on some subconscious level, he registered that his Godfather, one of the few people he knew genuinely cared for him, was dead. Severus Snape had played the role of double agent to perfection for years he had sabotaged Voldemort where ever possible, kept Draco and even Potter and the rest of the Golden Trio safe where ever he could. In the end it seemed it was his loyalty to Draco that had been his undoing. Frustrated by Snape's inability to locate Draco the Dark Lord had lashed out, his Godfather had died ignominiously, savaged by the snake Nagini.


	19. Guilt

Draco felt consumed with guilt, his godfather had died protecting the knowledge of his whereabouts and now The Order had lost its inside man. Draco believed that there was only one thing he could do to put this right, as a tribute to his Godfather and to help bring an end to the evil monster who had destroyed Snape, Draco would need to take his place. If Remus couldn't see the necessity of this now then he would act alone. He wasn't a member of The Order of the Phoenix, he didn't need their permission and if it meant keeping his mother and Hermione safe he _would_ act alone.

Draco knew he could never tell Hermione what he planned; he knew she would try to dissuade him and he might let her. Ultimately he was a coward and he knew returning to the Death Eaters would result in pain if not his death. He needed a convincing story otherwise Voldemort would never buy it. He had been missing for the better part of a year the only feasible explanation would be that he had been a prisoner of The Order. He needed Remus' support, there had to be some 'secrets' he could give Voldemort that would be convincing but not compromise The Order. Draco determined to put together a plan then approach Remus.

This still left the other problem, Hermione. He had promised to make her his wife to use the Malfoy blood magic to keep her safe. He needed to marry her and soon; at least he had had a while to consider this and he believed he had a viable plan.

All he need was his mother to distract his father for a short time. Although he didn't really want to think about his mother seducing his father he knew it would be the only way to distract him sufficiently to allow Hermione and himself to sneak into the grounds of Malfoy Manor and marry there.

* * *

"Where are we going Draco?" Hermione asked him as he dragged her across an open field to god knows where.

"You said you would marry me!" he said a wicked smirk spreading across his face, " have you changed your mind?"

"No," she said sounding entirely uncertain, "but I don't see what that…" she trailed off as a neo-classical folly came into view. Its columns were swathed in white jasmine and lilies the lone figure of a man waiting for them on the steps. Draco turned to her in all seriousness then.

"If you have changed your mind Hermione…"

The look that she gave him then melted Draco's heart. It said 'I love you with all my heart and soul and I will not be parted from you.'

"No," she said simply, "I have not changed my mind."

"Quickly then we have little time if we are to avoid detection," she clearly didn't understand the urgency so he clarified, "We are on Malfoy land, my father might feel my presence and he will detect the changes in the wards when you become a Malfoy."

In truth it was all a rushed affair and Draco was sorry she could not have the dress and the big wedding befitting a Malfoy bride. _Later_ he promised silently _I will make it up to you._ It was enough for now that he did all that he could to make her safe.

* * *

"I love you Mrs Malfoy," he told her as he caught her staring at her wedding ring, "whatever may come always remember that, no matter what I might outwardly say or do, whatever roles we might be force to play in this war never doubt that I love you."

Hermione looked at him curious,

"What are you planning Malfoy?"

"Oh it's 'Malfoy' now is it, now that you've caught the wealthiest heir in the Wizarding World?"

His teasing was an intended distraction he could not afford for Hermione to suspect what he was planning. He had met with Remus the day before the wedding, although he had at first objected Remus had reluctantly agreed to Draco's plan to return to the manor. He would pose as an escaped prisoner. He would allow Voldemort to see his memories, he would pretend to have seduced Hermione to secure his escape, and he would allow Voldemort to see Headquarters. Both Bellatrix and his mother would know the house, headquarters _would_ be compromised but The Order would have moved to another safe house, somewhere Draco was not aware of, before the Death Eaters arrived. Draco would have no knowledge of the new safe house-which would mean he would not know where Hermione was _but_ that meant she would be safe.

Voldemort would see his memories of Hermione, the confusion he had felt over his feelings for her, it was a calculated gamble but they aimed to hide his true purpose behind as much of the truth as they could.

Voldemort was a skilled legilimens and although Draco was a skilled occlumens it would not do for him to hide too much- Voldemort would know. So they would hide the truth in plain sight. He would acknowledge he had been at headquarters with Hermione, he would acknowledge confused feelings for her- it would be enough to make it seem real and hopefully save his life. Draco was under no illusions, he knew he would suffer for his absence but his cover should be just enough to help him survive.

Draco knew, as he lay with his little witch cradled in his arms, that it might be their last night together. He might not live to see her again but he was determined to avenge Snape and do what he could to help the light defeat Voldemort. Draco pulled her tightly to him examining every centimetre of her face, imprinting her likeness on his memory. Knowing that Hermione would be the last thing he would think of, if the end should come, he resolved that he would know her by heart, every piece of her.

Hermine moaned her arousal as his hands began to caress her fragile form, learning again the softness, the curves, the scars mapping out the glory that was Hermione Malfoy. He made love to her that night with a passion that would have inspired poets and as he slipped from their bed, as the purple haze of dawn filled the room in his aunt's home, he understood why men had fought wars for the love of a woman.

Silencing his foot fall he dressed quickly he allowed himself one lingering glance at his sleeping love, _I love you_ he silently told her before he turned and left to face an uncertain fate.


	20. The Prodigal's Return

"Get off me you great lumbering oaf," Draco spit out reprising his role as the spoilt Malfoy princeling, "unhand me; this is my home!" he continued to protest noisily. By this time Draco had managed to make as much noise as he could, his aim being to alert his parents to his presence in the hope that he might at least find some semblance of support from his father.

"Well, well," Bellatrix crowed, "so the prodigal has returned!" She spouted tapping her wand menacingly against the palm of her hand.

"Draco!" his mother rushed into the room, "where have you been?" Narcissa was smothering him before he had chance to reply.

"Yes Draco," he father's baritone reverberated across the marble floor of the Manor's grand entrance, "where _have_ you been?"

Draco wondered how he should play this, should he just come out with it and tell them he was a prisoner or play it cool and sarcastic. He quickly decided on the latter option.

"Where do you think I've been father? Holidaying in the Bahamas?" His father immediately bristled.

"Do not take that tone with me Draco…"

Lucius was interrupted by the insane cackling of Bellatrix.

"May be the boy has some balls after all, maybe he has more backbone than you'll ever have." She sneered at the elder Malfoy. "Come Draco the Dark Lord is eager to speak with you." Bellatrix motioned for Draco to follow her.

Draco's throat was dry, he tried to steel himself for what was to follow, prepare himself as best he could but the knowledge of what was likely to come, the anticipation of the pain seemed to make it more difficult.

Voldemort's malign presence seemed to chilli the room, there was a tension in the air which pulsed with the promise of violence. Draco caught the smirks and sneers of the other Death Eaters, he could taste their anticipation of his pain, their cruelty.

"Draco," the Dark Lord began with false bon homme, "so pleasant to see you again and looking so well." Draco had to force himself not to cringe as Voldemort's red eyes slid down his body and he realised that he might look a little too healthy for a former prisoner.

"My Lord," Draco's genuflexion was perhaps the most deferential he had ever given, he waited his head bowed for Voldemort's next move.

"Tell me Draco," Voldemort spit out his name as if it were something truly distasteful, "where have you been all these long months?"

The room stilled Draco sensed the collective holding of breath as they all awaited his reply.

"I was taken prisoner by the enemy my Lord," Voldemort eyed him speculatively.

"Indeed," the Dark Lord hissed grabbing Draco's chin with cold corpse like fingers, tipping back Draco's head so he could look into Draco's eyes. Draco felt the intrusion into his thought almost immediately, he had expected it but he was surprised by the sharpness of it. Voldemort did not care what damage he did as he riffled through Draco's thoughts and memories like a blunt knife. Draco bit into his bottom lip in an attempt to suppress the scream he felt rising.

* * *

Hermione awoke to an empty space beside her. Disappointed and missing her new husband's warmth she sat up. The sun was bright in the morning sky, _how had she slept so long?_ She wondered smiling to herself as she recalled last night's tryst with her gorgeous husband. Eager to feel his arms and his warmth surround her she rose to seek him out.

As Hermione descended the stairs she heard movement in the Kitchen.

"Morning Hermione," Andromeda greeted even though she had not turned to see who was there.

"Morning Andy, have you seen Draco?" Hermione questioned.

"Not this morning, perhaps he is outside?" Andromeda suggested.

Taking a pair of wellingtons and a warm cloak from the racks by the kitchen door Hermione quickly covered her nightwear and strode out into the garden.

Dew still clung to the grass, beading on the tips of her boots as she forged her way across the grounds towards the apple tree where they had often sat and thought and planned together. He wasn't there. Shrugging Hermione headed towards the stable block rationalising that Draco might be with the horses or hounds.

As she entered the kennels the hounds bayed and keened for her attention but there was no sign of Draco. Neither was he in the stables, the horses were all there enjoying their oats- there was no hint of her husband.

Dismayed Hermione headed back to the main house wondering if he might be ensconced in the library but when she reached the library it was deserted. A small but rising well of panic began to grow in the pit of her stomach. Suddenly she heard raised voices coming from the kitchen.

* * *

Draco tasted the metallic tang of blood on his tongue, he knew he had broken the skin and the tender pink flesh behind his lower lip was bleeding profusely as he struggled to hold back his agony.

Suddenly it stopped.

"Bella, the Black family home in London, you know it?" Voldemort demanded.

"Yes my Lord," Bellatrix confirmed

"Expect it to be heavily warded but Potter is there-Go," Voldemort commanded his lieutenant, there were multiple pops of apparition as Bellatrix and several other Death Eaters disappeared and headed for The Order's headquarters.

Draco tried to regain his breath, blood dripped down his chin from his self-inflicted wound. He didn't dare hope that the worst was over. He was right not to hope.

"So Draco," Voldemort hissed, "tell me about yourself and Potter's mud-blood!"

* * *

"How could you Remus, he is still only a boy," Hermione heard Andromeda scream at her former professor as she approached the kitchen door.

"He would have gone alone, without my help and been in greater danger," Remus responded suddenly stilling as he saw Hermione enter the room.

"Who are you talking about?" Hermione asked in panic, suspecting she already knew the answer.

"Hermione…" Remus began reaching out towards the petite witch, she ignored him.

"Where is he," she demanded her pitch rising in panic, "where is Draco?"

Hermione watched as Andromeda exchanged an angry look with Remus. Neither of the older Order members answered her. Hermione tried again, this time her voice shrill with anxiety.

"Where's Draco, where has he gone?" fearing the worst she continued, "is he alright!"

"Sit down Hermione," Andromeda instructed, "Draco left you this." Andromeda held out a roll of parchment closed with the Malfoy seal. Hermione took it and crumpled into the chair feeling her knees give, knowing that whatever this was, it was not good.


	21. Impressive

Hermione broke the seal on the parchment she had been handed. Draco's beautiful cursive hand stood out in perfectly parallel rows showing his absolute command of his quill. She hardly dared to read it.

_Hermione, my beautiful wife,_

_By the time you read this I will have gone. Deserted you after only one night of married bless, although I go to an uncertain fate my greatest fear is that you will never forgive this…_

Hermione impatiently scanned his words seeing only random phrases

_I have returned to Malfoy Manor…I have gone undercover to help the Order…Voldemort may not trust me…I cannot rely on my families support…the Dark Lord may punish me…_

What had begun as slivers of tears turned to floods. She could barely see through the haze of tears to discern his words.

_Remember what I told you, no matter what role I might be forced to play, I love you. Always remember that._

Hermione dropped the parchment unable to read any more. _He had planned this all along,_ she told herself, _he knew he was going to leave her._ She crumpled the parchment in her hand caught somewhere between fear and anger.

"No," was the single word she uttered before she began to sob violently.

* * *

Narcissa gasped at Voldemort's words even as his father dared to interfere.

"Draco, what?" Lucius began

"Silence!" Voldemort hissed with low menace before collecting himself, "silence Lucius let the boy speak." Voldemort turned to Draco again, "what was your relationship with the Mud-blood Granger?"

"My Lord, there was no relationship," he told him whilst fighting to keep Voldemort out of those memories he dare not share, "she was a means to an end, a way to earn enough trust to escape My Lord- it took time she was not so easily swayed."

"You're hiding something from me Draco!" Voldemort said his voice sinister and accusatory, "curcio."

Although Draco had expected it when the pain came it seemed only heightened by anticipation. The curse burned through his veins causing him to convulse in agony. Dimly he was conscious of his mother's muffled protests as his Father struggled to keep her quiet and calm. Through the scorching fire in his veins he managed to focus on one small thing, the scent of her skin, the fragrance of Jasmine.

Voldemort began to laugh, if that was truly the name for the sound he made.

"Well, well young Draco, I sense a little confusion," Voldemort moved forward running a caressing touch down Draco's flushed and bloodied face. "I know," Voldemort continued his monologue, "they can be so alluring, so tempting." He paused for a moment's thought before he could speak again a vase flew from the mantle and shattered into pearl like fragments. Voldemort turned to Draco tilting his head to one side; "Did you do that boy?" the Dark Lord enquired looking puzzled.

* * *

"No," Hermione screamed "Draco," she appeared to be reaching out to some unknown spectre, her fists clenched as her hair began to crackle with raw magic. "Don't touch him," she yelled at an unseen assailant, "don't you dare touch him."

"Hermione what is it?" Andromeda asked with clear concern. There was no response, the young witch seemed to have slipped into a trance like state. For a moment Hermione seemed to flicker as if she were between dimensions.

"No!" she let out a scream so violent it ricocheted around the room shaking plates in their racks and the very bones in their bodies. Before anyone could recover there was a blinding flash of blue light, like lightening running through a summer sky.

Temporally blinded it was a moment before Remus recovered enough to realise that the young witch was collapsed at his feet.

* * *

The crystal in the chandelier began to tremble; the lights flared and then were extinguished by a wild witch wind that spun like a tornado through the room.

Voldemort rounded on Draco; "stop that boy!" he demanded

Draco simply shock his head in denial, it wasn't him then he heard it; her voice,

"Draco," she screamed, the keening sound of her voice calling to him chilled him to the bone, _was she hurt_ , he worried. Even in the confusion he barely dared to give voice to that idea. He fought his emotions, told himself he must shut them down before it cost them both their lives.

Voldemort stood for a moment, unmoving, they all held their breath.

"Impressive," he concluded before turning briefly to Draco; "you need some rest, take him away I may have use of him yet."

* * *

"Draco," his mother asked him cautiously, "tell me what you have done." Narcissa Malfoy was an extremely powerful and intelligent witch. Although she had often been content to hide in her husband's shadow she was no fool she recognised blood magic when she saw it.

"Draco," she grabbed her only son by the shoulders and shook him violently, "what have you done?"

Draco had been stunned by what had just happened it was a moment before he felt he could speak. "Not here," he hissed at his mother. Narcissa stilled focusing instead on getting Draco to the safety of his own rooms. The heavy double doors closed behind them with a resounding thud. Narcissa immediately rounded on her son.

"What have you done Draco?" she demanded for a third time.

"You know what I've done," he hissed, "you know that I've married her why else did I need you to distract Father for me?"

"Draco!" Narcissa exclaimed in shock, "You know this cannot be undone."

"Yes Mother, that was entirely the point." He told her sharply, a note of bitterness creeping into his tone.

"Why?" she demanded.

Draco turned to his Mother and looked her squarely in the eyes before he answered;

"Because I love her," he told her.

Narcissa didn't say anything she simply reached for her son's hand and patted it gently. There was a long moments silence before Narcissa broke it.

"How much do you know about the Black and Malfoy family blood magic Draco?"

"I know it protects both partners in a marriage." He confessed

Narcissa huffed, "Only at a basic level, but if you truly love each other it will make you both more powerful and if you are truly soul mates it is said that little can stand against you but that your power might become so great it might drive you to…" Narcissa paused leaving Draco to fill in the gaps for himself. "Hermione Granger is already a powerful witch," his mother began again, "her marriage to you allows her to tap into the ancient blood magic of our families and it would appear-if that exhibition was anything to judge by-that her power is further amplified by her love for you. Who knows what she might now be capable of?"

"Does my Father know this?" Draco asked.

"Of course," Narcissa scoffed, "the real question is will he reveal what he knows? You must talk to him Draco I do not know if he will protect her, you know his views of mud…muggleborns."

Draco shivered violently.

"Take some pepper up potion and sleep," his mother told him, "I will do what I can with your father."

* * *


	22. My Father's Mercy

Hermione awoke to a pounding head and a mouth that tasted as bitter as poison. _What happened?_ She wondered still barely alert.

"Lay still," the gentle voice of Andromeda instructed, "you've used rather more of your magic than is wise." She informed Hermione.

"What happened?" Hermione managed to voice the question.

"We're not entirely sure but you performed some very powerful magic."

"Draco!" Hermione shot up rather too suddenly.

"Hermione you must rest," she was told forcefully, "as far as we are aware he is still alive, if he has survived the first few hours that has to be a good sign.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

Andromeda stared at her for a moment, _why what?_ She considered, _why did Draco leave? Why did she collapse?_ In truth she couldn't answer either question.

"I don't know," Andromeda admitted.

* * *

Draco went to speak to his Father with a greater dread than he had ever in his life. It was the fear that this encounter would prove once and for all whether his own Father loved him that troubled Draco most. He knocked gently on his Father's study door.

"Enter," came the immediate, imperious response. Draco took a deep calming breath and opened the door. His Father stood before the window, a large glass of fire whiskey in his right hand. Draco couldn't help put noticed that hand trembled slightly. Lucius drew his wand to quickly perform some locking and silencing charms.

"In truth Draco," his father began wearily, "I do not know if I should be proud of you or disgusted," he paused. Draco said nothing. "Proud that you are brave enough to return, brave enough to take what you want from life or disgusted that you would disregard a millennium's worth of breeding to marry a mud-blood."

"I cannot tell you what to think Father," Draco finally said keeping his tone neutral.

"No!" his father scoffed, "but you have certainly placed yourself in a position that forces my hand."

Lucius sighed again, clearly rehearsing what he needed to say.

"I will help you and by extension your little wife and her friends _but_ they must keep your mother safe. I want her out of here before we make any moves."

Draco nodded praying that he had not overstepped the mark in agreeing to this. Lucius bowed his head before curtly indicating to Draco to sit.

"What do you know of the blood magic you have initiated?" Lucius demanded.

"Only what I have already told mother and what she in turn told me," Draco admitted truthfully.

"This is very, very powerful magic Draco," his father warned, "not ever to be used lightly. That little exhibition from your distraught wife is but a fraction of what it could do- but power like that comes at a great cost."

"What do you mean," Draco asked suddenly concerned for Hermione's wellbeing.

"It can burnout your magical core, Draco; never use it unless you are in dire need, NEVER."

Draco nodded in understanding knowing that he must let Hermione know as soon as he could.

"Alright, now that you are here we need to keep you alive, the Dark Lord must not know about this magical bond between you and Hermione. He already suspects something; you must shield your mind at all cost, even if he tries to break you. The bond allows you to find each other no matter where you might be. The Dark Lord could therefore find your wife and by extension, as they are rarely far apart, Potter. I'm sure I need not explain the danger that bond puts us all in." Lucius concluded a note of warning in his tone.

"I understand Father," Draco told the older man solemnly.

"Do you Draco?" Lucius asked with a long suffering sigh, "Because if you cannot do this it will cost us all our lives."

* * *

Remus had supplied Draco with a protean charm, it looked for the entire world like any other galleon but it enabled Draco to pass on what he had discussed with his Father. Thankfully the Order agreed to Lucius' terms. They would get Narcissa out as soon as they could. Now all that Draco could do was wait it out and try to survive Voldemort's moods and tantrums.

Out of all that had happened since his return home only one thing had surprised him, his father. Lucius, it seemed, was after all prepared to protect him. Draco had begun to doubt his father every loved him but perhaps Draco had been wrong. He had placed himself at his Father's mercy and his Father had not betrayed him-at least not yet!

* * *

"Welcome back, Draco," a slightly amused voice rang out from the shadows, "where have you been might I ask?"

"None of your business Nott," Draco snarled.

"Oh come on Drake, we are all in this together I meant no harm, I just thought you might want to talk." Theo Nott told him.

Draco merely scoffed considering whether it might be worth seeking to use Nott as an ally of sorts. He knew he dare not fully trust the other young man but he might have his uses and it was perhaps best not to alienate his peer.

Taking Draco's lack of response as encouragement Theo continued;

"So did you get past first base with Granger?" Nott as in a loquacious tone, Draco saw red, before he could think and school his features into his usual calm, he rounded on the other young wizard pinning him against the wall.

"Don't ever speak of her to me again!" Draco snarled.

"Wow," Theo said hands up in surrender as he tried to calm the situation. "Ok, no offense intended."

Draco nodded curtly finally getting a grip on his emotions and chastising himself for his foolish reaction.

"Sorry mate," Draco conceded, "I just don't want to think about what I had to go through."

"I understand," Theo reassured, "sorry I brought it up."

Draco walked away hoping he had got away with his unreasonable reaction.

Theo Nott watched his friend walk away, Theo knew something was off about Draco's reaction but he would not betray Draco, not without cause, and he didn't wish the pretty mud-blood any harm really. If the war had allowed Draco a moment of madness with the curly haired witch- _well_ , Theo thought, _good for him_. Theo was happy to let sleeping dragons lie.


	23. 'kidnapped'

It had taken some weeks, time that had enabled Hermione to recover her strength, to plan to extract Narcissa Malfoy from Malfoy Manor. The plan was daring and risky but the Order intended to 'kidnap' Narcissa right from under Voldemort's metaphorical 'nose'. Narcissa, who was not so closely watched as Draco and Lucius, had been coached by Lucius and her son into her role as the kidnap victim. She was to disappear from the Manor rose gardens. The Order hoped that Narcissa's 'kidnap' would serve a twofold purpose; it would get her to safety and it would hopeful give Draco and Lucius the freedom to 'search' for her. Lucius was gambling, when he proposed this plan, that Voldemort would consider Narcissa's abduction at the hands of the Order sufficient threat to his plans that he would allow them to retrieve her. Of course they were all acutely aware that Voldemort might just Order Narcissa to be 'aveda' on sight and kill the other Malfoy's for letting her be kidnapped.

Getting into the grounds of the Manor was the tricky part of the plan and this was where, reluctantly the younger Malfoy had agreed his wife could help. Hermione's status as a Malfoy allowed her inside the manor's wards; it was therefore Hermione's role to let the others inside the manor, physically opening gates and doors to let them in.

Of course Narcissa could have simply slipped away with Hermione but the order reasoned that they needed to make a show of taking Narcissa if her husband and son were to stand a chance of avoiding Voldemort's wrath.

Hermione almost laughed at her reflection in the mirror as she prepared to apparate into the manor grounds. She looked like a fictional ninja but in truth she was beyond laughter, she needed to know that Draco was safe and well and she needed to make sure he stayed that way. Hermione had realised, as she prepared for her mission, that even if it left the darkest of stains on her soul she would do whatever it took to keep Draco safe.

* * *

Draco sat in his room staring fixedly at the ceiling, waiting. It was a calculated move to ensure he was nowhere near the action and therefore beyond suspicion. So he waited, waited for the alarm or Voldemort's call.

Suddenly alert to the noises coming from below he finally had the excuse to leave his room.

"What's going on?" he demanded making a noisy show of emerging from his room and appearing downstairs, thereby giving himself an alibi.

"Someone has broken through the wards," his father called towards him, "we are under attack." As if to confirm his Father's words the ground shuddered beneath them with a sudden violent wave of magic.

Everyone turned in the direction of the disturbance running towards the rose garden.

" 'Cissa!" Lucius called playing his role of the concerned spouse to perfection.

* * *

Hermione rounded the parterre to find Narcissa waiting,

"Quickly," she ushered the older witch in the direction of the other Order members, Hermione spun to follow her but too late ' _Bellatrix'_ Hermione cursed inwardly as she realised her route was blocked by Draco's insane aunt.

Bellatrix eyed her suspiciously looking towards Narcissa's retreating back.

"What are you doing?" Bellatrix questioned, "How did you get in here?" she demanded. Hermione was surprised, Bellatrix was more of a shoot first and don't bother asking questions type of girl. _She suspects something,_ Hermione realised. Bellatrix couldn't be allowed to report back what she knew. Hermione realised, her mouth going dry, that she would have to stop Bellatrix Lastrange Voldemort's feistiest lieutenant because, if Hermione did not the whole Malfoy family, a family that she was now a part of, could wave goodbye to any kind of future.

Hermione took up a duelling stance. Bellatrix laughed.

"Come now dearie you can't be serious?" Bellatrix questioned, "you may as well come peacefully it would be much less trouble and I promise to make your end quick."

Hermione didn't flinch.

"Have it your own way," Bellatrix spat viciously raising her own wand to a fighting stance as she realised the younger witch was not going to come quietly.

Bellatrix did not need to utter a word before a vicious curse flew Hermione's way, even though she had no warning she blocked the curse sending it rebounding back towards the dark haired witch. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes sneering at Hermione.

"I see you have been practicing," Bellatrix snarled, "perhaps this will be more fun than I anticipated." The words had barely left her lips before another jet of green light flew towards Hermione, again it was unspoken and there was no warning, Bellatrix appeared to have no 'tell', Hermione quickly appreciated why Bellatrix was so peerless as a dualist and she suddenly understood that she was outmatched and would not last long if she fought Bellatrix toe to toe, _but perhaps she could out manoeuvre her?_ Hermione thought.

* * *

Narcissa reached Remus and the other Order members panting from her exertion.

"Where’s Hermione?" Tonks immediately demanded.

"She was right behind me," Narcissa insisted.

"Damn it Hermione," Remus swore under his breath, "if she has gone after Draco…"

"She would do that?" Narcissa asked a little stunned by the suggestion.

"Hermione would walk through the fires of hell for your son if she had to," Tonks told the older woman a hint of contempt colouring her words.

"As would I Nymphadora," the Malfoy matriarch rounded on her neice, "do not dare think otherwise."

"Enough," Remus demanded firmly, "we do not have time for this, Hermione will have to take her chances we need to leave, " _Petrificus Totalus,"_ Remus cast the body banding spell on Narcissa before she could complain or protest- they had to make the 'kidnapping' look good.

"Remus," his wife turned to him, "we can't just leave her, she is a muggle born, they will kill her on sight."

"Only if they catch her," Remus said with more confidence than he actual felt, "I'm sorry there is a greater priority here."

"Then you go," his wife told him stubbornly, "because I won't." Remus looked at his wife for a moment conflicted. _She could already be dead,_ he thought to himself _what else might we be risking if we go back for her?_ With a heavy heart Remus did what he had been forced to do too many times, weigh the life of one witch against those who would die if they tried to save her. The balance did not tip in Hermione's favour and, though his wife might never forgive him, he wandlessly he cast a 'Stupefy' on her and apparated both women away.

* * *


	24. Distraction

Hermione tried hard to assess her surroundings whilst at the same time trying to maintain a shield. Bellatrix's curses were flying towards her with merciless alacrity but thus far Hermione had held her own. She could feel the perspiration beading on her brow from the effort but she was determined she would not be another of Bellatrix's victims.

Realising that brute force was not getting her anywhere the derange, dark haired witch change tactics. Hermione was hit by the percussion blast of a reducto spell. Fragments of what might have been a garden statue rained down around her. Hermione coughed but saw the dust and debris as an opportunity to get away from the Death Eater. Running for all she was worth under the temporary cover of the dust cloud the blast had caused, her ears still ringing from the shockwave, Hermione sped towards the Manor hopeful of somewhere to hide, hopeful that Draco might in some way help her.

"That's right girlie, run and hide," Bellatrix hollowed after her, "because when I find you, you will wish you were dead already!"

Hermione fell through a set of French doors that opened onto the terrace at the rear of Malfoy Manor. The room was in darkness.

"Draco," she whispered not daring to raise her voice, "help me!"

* * *

"Mother," Draco screamed as he watched Narcissa being spirited away by the Order. He knew he was a good actor and his anguish appeared all too genuine but his fake anguish at his mother's supposed abduction was quickly replaced by genuine terror.

"Draco," he heard her voice in his head and the pull on the Malfoy blood magic, "help me!"

"Shit, shit," the expletives came, but not in response to the events that those around him assumed. He turned and sprinted back towards the Manor. Canon balling through the partially open doors, his leather soles skidding on the marble floor as he fought for traction; "where are you?" Draco called.

Before she replied Draco realised he was already too late. Bellatrix slammed into the entrance hall like a storm front.

"Where is she, you would think her foul stench would give her away already."

Bellatrix, now clearly incensed that Hermione had evaded her, began throwing back doors, the noise thundered through the house as doors quivered on their hinges, Draco held his breath, _please,_ he silently begged, _don't let her find her_.

His prayers were not to be answered, suddenly he heard Hermione screaming and what was apparently a struggle.

"Look what I've found," Fenrir Greyback snarled, "pretty little mud-blood." He held Hermione by the hair; her feet were not even touching the ground, and ran a long filthy nail down her delicate cheek. Draco thought he was going to be sick.

"Dare to try to make a fool of me," Bellatrix scream at Hermione, "dare to curse me and think you would go unpunished."

"Now, Now Bella," Fenrir began, "finders keepers."

Bella merely sneered, "You can have her if you think you can keep her."

Greyback flew across the room. Draco took the moments distraction to catch Hermione's eye. "Remember what I told you," he communicated wordlessly, "that whatever I may do or say, I love you." She nodded the tiniest incline of her head "and somehow," he continued, "I will save you."

"Now dearie," Bellatrix now turned her attentions back to Hermione, "you and I need to have a little chat."

Before Draco could even blink his mad aunt had taken Hermione by the hair and held a knife to her throat. Draco was frantic he needed to do something but before he could act help came from the most unlikely of places.

* * *

"How could you?" Tonks screamed at her husband, "we need to go back."

Narcissa Malfoy sat quietly watching as her niece castigated Remus Lupin wondering if she should perhaps intervene.

"We can't," Remus responded despondently, "it's too dangerous."

"Dangerous for whom?" Tonks asked, "Hermione will die," she said in desperation sinking to her knees.

Remus said nothing, he seemed struck dumb. He did not dare voice what they were both thinking, _she might already be dead_. There was nothing he could say, any words he might offer would be mere platitudes.

Narcissa was too moved to remain silent any longer.

"Hermione is a Malfoy now she will be safer than you think"

"What does that mean," Tonks demanded impatiently.

"It means that there is ancient magic in my home that will help keep her safe," Narcissa told her niece before forestalling any further enquires by adding, "I cannot and will not tell you more."

* * *

"Come, come Bella are we to suppose that you would not rather show us all the difference between a mud-blood and a pureblood witch," Voldemort intervened. "I am told she is known as 'the brightest witch of her generation,' what more proof would we need of that lie if you were to _fairly_ defeat Potter's little pet in a duel? Who could then deny our superiority?" Murmurs of agreement rippled through the now reassembling ranks of the returning Death Eaters, "but first we should show her some hospitality, tomorrow my dear," he drawled lifting Hermione's face to look deeply into her eyes, "you shall show us your worth. If you are victorious you will take Bella’s place, if not…well I'm sure you understand, in the meantime I do detect great interest in you? There are many here who might enjoy a little distraction." Ripples of agreeing were quickly replaced with bawdy laughter. "Greyback would she suit your tastes perhaps?" The werewolf leered at Hermione suggestively pumping his hips. Draco really thought he might faint, "perhaps not," Voldemort decided, "you lack subtly, "Lucius," Voldemort turned towards Draco's Father. _Please Merlin no._ Draco pleaded.

"My Lord?" Lucius answered questioningly, looking like he had swallowed something very bitter.

"No," Voldemort determined, "I have a better idea. Voldemort looked a Lucius, as if he could do nothing worse to the head of the noble house of Malfoy, before he announced, "Draco!"

"My Lord," Lucius interrupted.

"Silence," Voldemort demanded, "do not expect that the boy should not soil his hands,"

"Or his other parts," someone dared to say causing more bawdy laughter.

"He is no longer a boy he will earn the honour of the mark he bears." Voldemort continued ignoring the interruption.

"Draco," he turned again to the young blond man, "take her away, use her as you see fit but use her well."

"Bella," he turned to this dark haired lieutenant, "ensure Draco is not disrupted and that they do not leave his room."

* * *


	25. Deliverance

Draco could barely breathe. He dare not look at Hermione until they were safely in his room. Voldemort had miscalculated, he assumed that he insulted Draco and his Father by demanding he demean himself with Hermione, 'soil' his loins with a mud-blood. Instead Voldemort had been Hermione's deliverance. Now they needed to get her out of here.

Draco pushed Hermione forcefully before him doing his best to play his role without seriously hurting his witch. Draco knew that if he was too soft Bellatrix might interfere.

"Move mud-blood,"

Hermione looked at him with defiance, _smart girl,_ he thought. He realised she knew she must play her part too.

"Make me Malfoy," she said turning to spit at him.

Draco moved towards her with menace, _I love you_ , he reminded her again silently before throwing her to the floor. Hermione stood up again staggering, blood dripping from her mouth where she must have bitten her lip.

Before she had chance to make more trouble he grabbed her by the hair forcefully pulling her out of the room. Hermione struggled and howled until Draco bound her in a body bind.

"Quite the little hell cat," Bellatrix laughed.

Draco scoffed, "I'll tie her to the beds post if I must."

Bellatrix looked at him gleefully, for a horrible moment he thought his aunt might ask to watch. Merlin only knew what privations she got unto in the privacy of her own bed chamber.

"No," he told her emphatically before she could ask, "we're family."

"Pity," Bellatrix crowed, "you are such a pretty boy Draco."

Draco looked at his aunt genuinely horrified.

"Alright, alright, besides your mother would never forgive me. Just remember what the Dark Lord has said." She reminded him.

"Oh, don't worry aunt I fully intend to use her well, this stuck up mud-blood has it coming to her."

Finally reaching the door to his suite he levitated the still figure of Hermione to his bed. Much to his chagrin his aunt followed him into his room. Draco rounded on her;

"You can't seriously expect me to perform while you watch."

"No Draco I just thought I would give you a little hand getting started." She waved her wand and Draco heard the sound of ripping cloth behind him. He could only imagine what she had done.

"Get out aunt Bella," he insisted shouldering his aunt out the room, "I can manage on my own."

* * *

Hermione was seething. She knew that Draco had to play a part and she was happy to play hers too but Bellatrix was beyond depraved. As she had entered Draco's room she had sliced the front of Hermione's clothes open leaving her spread bare across Draco's bed. She thought of what might have befallen her if Voldemort had chosen another man for this 'task'. How could Bellatrix assist in that? One thing Hermione knew for sure she would end the unhinged hag even if it cost her her eternal soul.

* * *

Quickly sealing and silencing the room as soon as his aunt was through the door, Draco ran towards his wife. Pulling her clothes together he pulled her towards him cradling her in his arms. He was lost for words, he would never have believed he would have cause to thank Voldemort, but the madman had at least allowed him this some small measure of time alone with his wife and, come what may, he would relish that time.

Holding her tight and rocking her gently as if soothing a child Draco kissed his witch tenderly on the forehead. He was aware she was sobbing, tears were soaking through the thin fabric of his shirt.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he whispered to her, " I thought I was going to witness that deranged bitch kill you. I couldn't have allowed that Hermione, even if I had to die in an effort to save you."

Hermione was very quiet for a long time.

"I won't let you die for me," she told him in all sincerity, "I am nothing, and you have a role to play and must play it for the great good."

"Fuck the greater good," he told her vehemently, "I won't live without you, I have no role to play unless you are at my side. Don't ever say you are nothing, you are my bedrock, without you to ground me it all falls apart Hermione. You are not some meaningless, disposable cannon folder. You are mine and I will keep you safe no matter the cost."

Hermione could not hold back the tears as he told her this. She looked at him with awe, disbelieving of how much he must truly love her. Her only answer was to lean forward to place a small kiss on the trip of his nose, then his cheeks, then his jaw and finally a lingering kiss upon his beautiful lips.

"I love you so much," she murmured breathlessly, "if the worst should happen I will wait for you beyond the veil."

Draco couldn't speak; he swallowed the large lump that had formed in his throat knowing that her worst case scenario was a real possibility.

"I won't do it," he suddenly blurted out; "if he orders me to kill you I won't do it."

"Then we will both die needlessly," She told him bravely.

"I would rather die, I would never be able to live with myself."

"Enough of this," another voice suddenly intruded on their tender moment.

"How the fuck…" Draco began as his father emerged from the shadows of the room.

"Being the head of this family and master of this manor has some advantageous," he told his gapping son, "now stop mooning about we need to make plans to get at least one of you out of here, together like this you are each other's weakness."

"What did you have in mind Father?" Draco demanded sarcastically, "our options are limited."

"That doesn't mean we have none, " Lucius told his son," but first we must ensure that Hermione can defeat Bellatrix," Lucius began.

"Hermione is a powerful witch father but Bellatrix…"

"Can be defeated if your wife does not handicap herself with social niceties," Lucius interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked the elder Malfoy warily.

"I mean my dear that you can defeat her if you are prepared to meet her on her own terms."

"You mean use the unforgivables?" Hermione deduced beginning to shake her head, "then I am no better…"

"Than dead already," he finished for her.

Hermione turned a glared at her Father-in-law.

"I wouldn't, not even to save my own life," she told him stubbornly.

"But what about to save Draco's life?" Lucius demanded.

* * *


	26. Dark Magic

Hermione stared at her father-in-law for a long time before she finally answered his question.

"I would do anything, including give my own life to save Draco."

"And your soul?" Lucius pushed.

"I would sell my soul," she acknowledged tears rolling down her checks as the realities of war closed in upon her. The moral certainty she had held when she joined this war was slowly slipping away. There was no longer a black and white for her just so many shades of grey.

Lucius seemed to sense her thoughts;

"We all do what we need to in order to survive and to protect the ones we love." He told her, "I might have thought differently once but that is all I now seek to achieve. As will you at the end my dear. Whilst not all ends justify the means, we all have lines we will not cross; even though they may be marked differently, the boundaries we had when we began have blurred. No one fights a war and survives without regret."

Hermione was surprised to hear these words of wisdom from this source but she knew he was right.

Draco had remained silent as his Father spoke but now interceded;

"Hermione you don't have to do this," he told her reassuringly.

"No," she responded, "your Father is right.

Draco didn't respond rather he pulled her back into his arms and nodded in acknowledgement of a tacit agreement that his once innocent wife would stain her soul to keep him safe, to keep them all safe.

* * *

Over the next few hours Lucius instructed Hermione in various dark spells and curses. As well as the unforgivables there were other curses that Lucius himself had invented. Hermione realised he was showing her an unexpected level of trust in sharing with her these 'speciality' curses. She also had in her arsenal Snape's speciality 'sectumsempra' which she highly doubted Snape would have shared with Bellatrix.

"You have to mean it Hermione," Lucius told her as she prepared to learn to cast an 'adava', "there has to be no hesitation and clear intent."

She levelled her wand at the spider Lucius had provided for this task. She hesitated;

"Expelliarmas," Lucius cried causing Hermione's wand to fly towards him, "too late," he cautioned her, "hesitate and you will lose, Bellatrix will not stop to consider her actions neither must you."

Hermione hung her head in frustration; she couldn't even kill a spider how was she supposed to kill a human being even if they were a foul vicious Death Eater?

Lucius sighed, "Enough- you will just need to find other means," he told her masking his frustration and hoping if it came to it Hermione would _not_ hesitate.

"It's late," Draco announced and I believe there is another mater I must take care of before we retire, "after all the Dark Lord expects my wife to be well used by me before morning."

"Indeed," Lucius commented looking a little uncomfortable discussing this subject with his own son.

"Well goodnight Father," Draco said encouraging his Father to leave.

"Lucius," Hermione called after the older man as he turned to leave, "I just want to …"

"Thank me tomorrow," he interrupted the implication hanging there; _if you live to do so_.

* * *

Alone again with his wife Draco turned sad grey eyes on his witch. “I promise not to hurt you but this must look realistic. We can use numbing charms first to dull the pain; I expect to look like you fought me too. Bite marks, bruising and scratches are to be expected.”

He raised his hand as if to strike her and lowered it as she flinched.

"I've never hit women in my life," he told her, "I can't do this."

"Make love to me first Draco," she said pushing him hard against the bed post, "make love to me," she said grasping his hair and pulling him hard towards her," make it count." She challenged as she bit his lip hard drawing blood.

"Witch," he growled at her, biting lightly into her neck ensuring he broke the skin enough before licking it better.

"Wicked boy," she teased biting his earlobe.

He knew what she was doing, she was trying to rile him up. Whilst he would never be prepared to hit her he was quite happy to pay her back for the nips and bites she was now making all over his body. She was driving him crazy alternately biting and kissing and licking his fresh.

"Hermione," he moaned.

She drew his fingers into her mouth and sucked on them. It was so erotic, so enticing and then she bit him.

"Damn it!" he hit out not meaning to push her into the bed post. There was a sicken thud as her head connected with the carved wood. Blood began to trickle down her face.

"I'm sorry," he immediately tried to apologies, "Merlin you're hurt."

"It's nothing Draco, a small scalp wound they always bleed a lot and we'll need to look like there was a struggle."

"I don't want to do this Hermione; I want to worship you not beat you." He told her petulantly.

"Then I must punish you," she said beckoning him nearer.

_Thwack_ , the sound of her slapping his face echoed across the room.

"Now we are even," she told him but with little real malice.

"I guess I deserved that," he said knowing that it would leave an impressive bruise on his alabaster skin.

"Yes you do, for leaving me without a word," she reminded him.

"Would you have let me leave?" he asked,

"Of course not," she admitted, "but now that I'm here I think I ought to kiss you better."

"Come her witch," he laughed pulling her towards him, "have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" He began intent on a slow seduction and determined to not leave her alone until she screamed his name in pleasure.

"Which bits are beautiful she challenged?" Laughing as he rolled her onto her back.

"This elbow," he said kissing her left elbow,"and this wrist," he continued taking up her arm and gently brushing his lips across the pulse point at her wrist,"and this ear," he shifted his weight so he could breathe into the shell of her ear,"and your throat," he dropped his head so he could drown in her scent as he buried is nose against her clavicle. Her scent was like a drug to him, he knew he could lose himself in that heady smell of jasmine. He growled as he drew in breath. "You are so bloody beautiful," he told her.

He wanted to worship her; he smattered her with kisses moving to her breast. They were soft and firm and he nipped them gently with his teeth causing her to moan and arch her back. He almost purred like some self-satisfied cat at the noise he was eliciting from her.

"So beautiful," he told her again his voice barely above a whisper, as his fingers, feather light, skirted her sides. He drew gentle circles around her naval slowly spiralling out and then he struck. Draco's index finger plunged between her folds, stroking her in firm maddening circles.

"Look at me;" he asked her, "I want to see you fall apart from my touch."

Hermione met his gauze and held it like some kind of dark magic. Her pupils were shot wide with desire.

"Draco," she demanded his attention and he was happy to give her more, desperate for that closeness they had shared so infrequently. Slipping first two then a third finger into her moist entrance causing her to writhe with need.

"Draco I need you," she demanded slipping her hands between them to find his firm length. "I want you," she said now caressing his manhood insistently. Draco groaned tugging away at this belt and zip wanting nothing more than to satisfy her. Hermione used her heels to push his pants from his hips never losing her grip. He sprung forward his need more than obvious.

"Draco," she was insistent guiding him toward that soft moist place where he would thrust forth and drive his witch to ecstasy. She let out a feral groan as he entered her. Her hands now clawed at his back and buttocks to drive him forward to force him deeper. _Sweet Merlin, nothing had ever felt as good as her warmth around him._ He silently intoned whilst still capable of coherent thought. He moved slowly deliberately pulling almost all the way out before plunging deeper. Gradually building rhythm and pace until he thought he couldn't hold it anymore but then she came, pulsing and quivering in the throws of her own pleasure.

"Draco," she screamed his name and he was lost to all sensation but the overwhelm flood of pleasure he felt as he came apart inside her.


	27. What if I win?

Draco couldn't sleep he lay there, his beautiful witch cradled to his chest, wondering if they would live to do this again. He looked towards the large French windows that led out to the balcony and watched as the sky turned pale lavender heralding the coming of the dawn. If he could he would stay in this room forever but he knew that the wards he had raised to protect them would eventually be broken and they would come for both of them. Still he would let her sleep for as long as he could hoping that she would be alert enough to defeat Bellatrix and he counted his breaths slowly knowing he would defend her with his life if he had to.

Draco sighed feeling like a condemned man he watched the sunlight creeping across the carpet as it rose higher in the sky. As quietly as he could he called his personal house elf to bring them breakfast knowing that, in all likelihood, neither of them would be able to eat it. His was snapped out of his reverie as he heard Hermione begin to stir. Semi- conscious she reached for the space where he had lain next to her and, finding the space empty, she opened her eyes alarmed that he was not there. It was so endearing.

"Draco?" she questioned. He didn't answer preferring instead to move back towards her and take her once more into his arms. Doing so finally broke him, Draco cried, huge glistening tears dripped from the end of his nose as he realised that they might not have any future together. All he could do was tighten his hold on her once more; _please Merlin_ , he begged silently, _keep her safe_. For once it was a selfless request because, although he knew he could not live without her, he would lay down his life today if it came to it.

* * *

Hermione knew he was weeping but she wanted to save his pride so she said nothing. They were so young and had had so little time together and she knew their time might be at an end. _Damn it Hermione_ , she told herself, _you can do this you will triumph-but what then?_ She suddenly considered. _What was it that Voldemort had said?_ _'If you are victorious you will take Bella's place.' What did that mean? Would she be required to take the mark? Would she be required to take an innocent life?_ Despair washed over the muggle-born witch. She was caught between a rock and a hard place as the saying went. What were her choices? Lose her life and condemn those she loved or lose her eternal soul?

"Draco," she began turning towards her husband and lover, "What if I win?"

* * *

Draco looked at his little witch stunned, _how had they not have considered this?_ It was not just that she might need to kill Bellatrix but she might be recruited into the ranks of the Death Eaters.

"I'm so sorry," he told her acknowledging what they both now realised was the stark choice before them. "I feel so helpless. I should be able to protect my wife yet there is nothing I can think of to do which might save you, other than die in your place."

"YOU WILL NOT DIE IN MY PLACE DRACO MALFOY," she told him emphatically, "promise me," she continued her tone more gentle, "promise me you will not do anything foolish, promise."

Draco sighed, he would not promise but he tried to placate her;

"I won't do anything foolish," he told her, it was a Slytherin answer if ever he had given one because he did not think it foolish to save her life.

The sun was fully up now, Draco knew that someone would come to get them soon. When the Dark Lord appeared he would not wait long for his entertainment. It wasn't long before he felt the door shake, someone was attempting to break through his protective spells.

"It's time," he told Hermione in a subdued tone. He couldn't wish her luck, he couldn't say a word, he knew it would choke him. He watched as Hermione dressed her hands shaking slightly as she buttoned up her shirt. There was slight bruising on her face from contact with the bed post and bite marks on her neck. This was all that was visible from their tryst. Draco knew his own lip was swollen and there was a bite mark on his own neck it would have to be enough to suggest some measure of the expected violence.

"I'm ready," she told him. He nodded as he moved towards the door. Hermione walked out before him trailing a hand behind her. Draco caught it clinging to her fingertips until the very last moment as she passed out of his protection into what could only be described as battle.

* * *

The room was dark, almost no light fell on the assembled and masked Death Eaters who formed a tight circle within what must have been the Malfoy's ballroom. Faces were hidden in the shadow of deep cowl hoods, Hermione could not have known friend from foe even if there were a friend amongst them. They parted slightly to allow her and Draco to pass to the centre of the room.

"Good morning Draco," the Dark Lord greeted, "I trust you fully enjoyed my little gift?"

"My Lord," Draco acknowledged with a deep bow. Voldemort paused a moment as if something about the young Slytherin disturbed him but, seemingly dismissing it, he continued with proceedings.

"Well to business, Bellatrix," he paused waiting for the older witch to step forward.

Removing her mask and hood Bellatrix stepped forward from the ranks that closed to fill her space.

"Shall we remind ourselves of the rules," Voldemort stated like some master of ceremonies. Hermione was surprised to hear there were rules. " _No one_ interferes, not even _you_ ," he stated moving faster than should have been possible to circle Draco and raise his wand to the young wizard's throat. "Your tender thoughts betray you Draco," he chastised, "I will deal with you later," skeins of rope erupted from his wand, there was a gasp from somewhere amongst the assembled crowd as Draco was bound and gagged before being unceremoniously dumped on the floor.

_Fool_ , Draco cursed to himself; his Godfather would be so disappointed that he had so easily allowed his thoughts to betray him. There was now nothing he could do to help her, nothing.

* * *

Hermione felt her ire gather at Draco's treatment, she felt her anger against Voldemort grow and it pulsed through her. Her magic began to sizzle. Like static before a thunder storm she could feel it gathering about her. _You will not harm him_ , she told them all silently her power quietly mounting to a magnitude beyond what she realised she was capable. The blood magic that linked her to Draco and all the ancestral Malfoys rose up in defence of one of its own.

If anyone else saw it they showed no sign but Draco was in awe. Sparks crackled from the ends of Hermione's hair. He could feel her calling the Malfoy magic to her. The magic throbbed in the air. Bellatrix suddenly looked a little less confident as Voldemort called;

"Begin."

* * *


	28. Torment

Bellatrix could not wait going immediately for the kill. Hermione a skilled duellist who had been trained and practice with the most able members of the Order of the phoenix was not so easy to kill. She rolled away from the curse firing a silent 'confringo' towards the savage dark haired witch. Bellatrix had clearly underestimated Hermione assuming that her own age and experience would give her an advantage. As she found herself in flames, forced to use a defensive 'aquamenti' to douse herself. Bellatrix realised her mistake.

"Good, good," Voldemort crowed letting out a noise, that from someone else might have rung like laughter.

Bellatrix bristled at the praise that was clearly aimed at Hermione. Again she sent a vicious unforgivable at her opponent this time a 'crucial ', but Hermione's 'protego' was too strong. The dark haired witch hissed in frustration circling Hermione like a vulture above carrion.

"You think you are better than me?" Bellatrix spat out, clearly loosing whatever self-control she still possessed. "You think you can out match me?"

Hermione didn't reply she merely gave the dark haired witch a smirk that Draco himself would have been proud of.

* * *

Draco was proud, although he was tormented by his inability to aid Hermione in any way, he knew that Bellatrix was in for the fight of her life. He watched his wife in awe as tongues of shadow gathered around her. He realised then that Hermione had not drawn her wand, she had not needed to. I _s she truly so powerful?_ He wondered of the petite witch, whose size clearly belied her strength and power. _How could Voldemort ever claim that muggle-borns were inferior if they all bore witness to this?_ Hermione's power gathered, seeming to suck all light and life from the room. Beads of sweat were gathered on Bellatrix's brow as she struggled to hold back the force that Hermione had thrown against her. Suddenly he was conscious that somewhere to his left one of the Death Eaters had collapsed to the floor. Then another folded and yet another, it was then that he realised what Hermione was doing. The dark tongues that gathered around her were not smoke and shadow as he had a first thought, it was magic, the dark magic at the core of every Death Eater present and she was sucking it out of them and turning it upon one of their own.

Bellatrix's knees buckled and she grabbed at her throat greedily gasping for air. Hermione was sucking the air from her lungs he realised. If Voldemort did not intervene his aunt was done for. It became rapidly clear, with Voldemort's next words, that he had no intentions of intervening.

"Intriguing," Voldemort said gleefully, "fascinating," he continued.

"My Lord," Bellatrix managed to gasp out, "help me!"

"Bella my dear,” he turned towards his most loyal and devoted follower, "you know that I cannot tolerate or reward weakness."

The sudden moment of lucidity that was evident in Bellatrix's eyes was painful to observe. The realisation of years wasted in devotion to a man that, when all was said and done, valued her less than the 'filthy trash' that would supplant her. With one final Herculean effort Bellatrix rallied, rounding, not on her opponent but on the man who had betrayed her devotion.

"Aved…" she never finished forming the words. With a sickening snap of his fingers the Dark Lord broke her neck. As his aunt crumpled to the floor Draco found himself face to face with his aunt her once beautiful eyes, now glassy and lifeless, wide with surprise.

* * *

Hermione swallowed thickly, Bellatrix was dead and, whilst she had not actually killed the dark haired witch, she knew without a doubt that she had as good as done so and her penance: to take Bellatrix’s place at Voldemort's side. She had shown herself capable of wielding great power and dark magic. He would see her as an asset. Instead she would be an asset to the light, like Snape before her she would play her part to perfection until finally they would destroy him.

“Well done Miss Granger, you are indeed a very power witch as I had foreseen.” Voldemort all but purred.

* * *

 _Liar_ , Draco silently intoned; Voldemort had foreseen none of this, he was merely covering for the faults in his own rhetoric. He would now make up some barely plausible explanation for why Hermione was so powerful. She was a lost pure-blood heiress Draco heard him begin. _Bullshit_ , he incanted to himself.

"Draco," he suddenly heard her voice scream at the edges of his consciousness, "What now?" she pleaded sounding panicked although her exterior was as cold as frosted steel.

"Play along, try to buy us time, the priority right now is that you survive." He communicated back.

"No," she responded, "the priority now is that we _both_ survive."

"Come, my Dark Lady," Voldemort said holding out his hand towards Hermione. Knowing better than to hesitate she walked confidently towards him stifling the urge to flinch as she made contact with his cold clammy hand.

"Tomorrow," Voldemort announce, "I shall honour you with my mark; you will take your place at my side as I promised." Hermione played along as Draco had told her to but she felt like she was walking through some nightmare. If only she could wake up! She realised with horror, as Voldemort kicked aside the fallen corpse of his former lieutenant that, unless someone or something came to rescue her, she would become a Death Eater.

If Draco had felt tormented watching his witch duel Bellatrix his agony now increased tenfold as he considered the implications of what had just occurred. Bellatrix was dead; Hermione was the victor and her prize was to reign at Voldemort's side. Draco felt sick as he realised that the Dark Lord appeared somewhat enthralled with _his_ wife and he knew that Voldemort did not like to share his new toys.

_I'm as good as dead,_ he silently cursed.

* * *


	29. Kill Him

Draco awoke to find himself somewhere he had never expected to be; the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. He seriously suspected that his hours were numbered. Voldemort had sensed his attachment to Hermione; the madman would not suffer him to live, not now.

His thoughts were interrupted by the rustling of robes in the darkness.

"Draco," his mother's soft tones echoed through the darkness.

"Mother what are you doing here?" he questioned in panic,

"I've come to save you, of course,"

Draco scoffed, when they had all quite finished saving each other they were likely to all end up dead.

"Hermione sent for me I have brought you a port key." She passed the small gold ring held in a white linen handkerchief through the bars of his cell. "All you need do is slip it on your finger and you will be safe."

Although he took the ring from her hand he did not put it on.

"Draco, we don't have much time," she cautioned.

"How will you get out mother?" She didn't answer merely taking another cloth from her pocket to indicate that she too had a means of escape.

"I won't leave her," Draco then told his mother firmly.

Narcissa gave him a disappointed look;

"Then you will _both_ die," she began, "your affections for Hermione have been exposed hence you find yourself here. Tell me Draco how do you think the Dark Lord will expect her to show her loyalty to him before she takes the mark?"

"The usual way I suppose," he said not quite seeing what his mother was getting at.

"And do you see any other likely victims or are you alone in this dungeon?" she questioned.

Draco blanched as he realised the implications of his mother's words. Voldemort would order his death. Unless they were both very much mistaken Hermione would be expected to kill _him_. He knew she would not be able to do it and it would, as his mother predicted, cost them both their lives.

"Then all the more reason to remain," he concluded stubbornly, "I will need to find a way to get us both out."

His mother, who dotted on him and had rarely, if ever, chastised him rounded on him then;

"You stubborn fool," she growled, "don't you see you are each other's weakness, if Voldemort holds you both he controls you both."

In truth Draco understood this but he could not bring himself to leave her it felt too much like betrayal.

"I can't," was all he managed to say.

His mother shock her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. Holding out her hand to caress his check she sobbed,

"My beautiful, foolish boy," she could not bring herself to say goodbye. Knowing that the hardest thing for any parent was to allow their child to make their own mistakes, she kissed her finger tips and placed them on his cheek before placing her own portkey on her hand and disappearing.

Draco paced his cell desperate for a way out but every plan he came up with seemed fatal. He had no idea of the time but he knew he would not sleep anyway. What seemed like days later there was finally a chink of light as the door to his prison was heavily swung open.

"You have an audience with the Dark Lord," McNair told him with considerable mirth.

* * *

"Kill him," Voldemort demanded, "prove your loyalty to _me_."

Hermione schooled her feature not to show her horror at her new master's demands.

_"Get out of here Draco_ ", she silently communicated with him. _"You are no good to me dead."_ Her legilimency was not strong but she knew he heard her. _"Stubborn fool, I won't think any less of you."_ She continued to communicate whilst she slowly raised her wand.

"You can have no other loyalties but to me," Voldemort hissed out.

_"Go! Please! I can't live without you, I can't live with this stain on my soul-I will be ok,"_ she continued her silent monologue.

Hermione took a step nearer it was the only way she could think of to stall for more time.

_"Please,"_ she was struggling now to be outwardly calm, _"I would rather turn my wand on myself than do this."_ she told him in absolute desperation.

"You have to want to," Voldemort coached her. Black shadows began to form around her swallowing the light, pulsing with power.

"Good," Voldemort purred, "good."

The sight suddenly steeled Draco's nerve, realising that Hermione could defend herself and he needed to retreat for now he suddenly spun slamming into the masked gathered Death Eaters behind him. This slight distraction was enough to give him the meter of space he needed to slip on the portkey and disappear.

* * *

Inwardly Hermione celebrated his escape but her elation was short lived. Her knees gave at the pressure Voldemort brought to bear, forcing her genuflection.

"You have much to learn," Voldemort hissed at her, his mercurial mood shifting, "You will bring me his corpse or it will be replaced with your own!"

As she knelt before this repulsive being a plan began to form in her head but there were certain things she needed to make it happen, not the least difficult of which was an ally.

* * *

Draco crumbled to his knees as the portkey dumped him unceremoniously on the ground. Disorientated it was a moment before he took in his surroundings. Aunt Andromeda and his mother stood a few meters away.

The two older women rushed towards him.

"Draco," his mother screamed sinking to her knees beside him, "are you hurt?"

He had no concern for his own health or wellbeing he did not respond to their question. His first words being;

"I have to get her out of there."

* * *

Hermione knew that the only way Draco could be safe and the only way that he could not be used to manipulate her was if Voldemort assumed him to be dead. So she would follow Voldemort's order and bring him Draco's corpse or at least what would appear to be Draco's corpse.


	30. A small piece of my love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> Some of you may find elements of what happens in this chapter distasteful. This chapter explains the prologue from Hermione's POV but you have been warned- she has done something morally very dubious.

A small number of things were required for Hermione to bring her plan to fruition; access to the Malfoy library, which would not be a problem, a small piece of Draco's flesh or hair and the opportunity to speak to Lucius alone to persuade him to procure the most difficult item on her list, a fresh cadaver.

"Are you insane?" Lucius demanded when she finally cornered him in a secluded corner of the manor and outlined her plan. "Whilst I admire the audacity of your plan I cannot acquire carcasses like candy my dear," he cautioned, "and despite what you might think of me I do not kill unless I must."

Hermione was not however to be easily dissuaded.

"But can you do it?"

"Perhaps," he finally conceded, "when?"

"I need a little time," she told him, "but the cadaver must be very fresh otherwise this will not work."

He nodded in understanding and walked away.

* * *

The polly juice potion was ready now all she needed was the body, impatiently she awaited Lucius' input into the plan.

"We need to act with all haste," she said with urgency as she heard the pop of apparition behind her. She eyed the body of the man with dirty blond hair with distaste. He was a fresh kill, she knew the body still warm, the blood across his face not yet congealed. She didn't want to know who he was or how Lucius had come by the body, she didn't want to think about it and she didn't have time.

"Hold him," she ordered the older man as she moved to pour the potion down the dead man's throat. Knowing he would not swallow she flicked her wand to force the contraction of his oesophagus so the potion went down. Hermione bit her lip knowing that without some residue of the man's life force and magic this would not work. She couldn't bear to consider the implications of what she was doing. This was someone else's love, sacrificed to save her own. Would she ever be able to live with that knowledge?

Hermione continued to watch as her conscience troubled her. Slightly more slowly than was usual the transformation began, his hair colour brightened to a lighter blond, his waist narrowed, his shoulders broadened, his limbs lengthened. Hermione sucked in her breath as she saw before her something she hoped never to see again; the dead body of her husband. All it had taken was a strand of Draco's hair, the smallest piece of her love. She hoped it would be enough to save him.

She slipped the Malfoy ring onto the dead man's hand before lifting the dead weight so that one arm was across her shoulder. She nodded to Lucius in acknowledgement before she disappeared to leave the body where she knew it would immediately be discovered.

* * *

Hermione entered the room creating the persona of The Dark Lady, calling upon the tongues of shadow to swirl around her, creating an air of menace and malevolence that befitted her new status as Voldemort's lieutenant.

"I wanted him conscious," she snarled at the underlings who held the limp form of the pollyjuice transformed stranger before her.

She grabbed his chin. Inwardly she wanted to weep, imagining what it might be like if she had been forced to do this for real. There was no movement, nothing; not a flicker of life or recognition _but there wouldn't be would there?_ She told herself, _He was already dead._ Now Hermione had a convincing act to put on, an audience to entertain. It would need to be the performance of her life and no matter how distasteful she might find what she needed to do she could not balk at her task.

"Pity," she purred at the uncaring figure before her, "so handsome, such power and promise, reduced to this – and for what?"

It was a rhetorical question she expected no response and inwardly she despised the sycophantic laughter that rippled around the room. _Was his suffering some joke to them all?_ She let go his head it lolled to one side-seemingly too far gone to know or care. She stretched out a hand tendrils of shadow rippled down his blood soaked shirt tearing it asunder. Invisible cold hands cut across his throat but she knew he felt nothing. She hoped that all those around her saw was that 'Draco Malfoy' was as good as gone.

"Such a pity I don't have more time to play Draco," she said in a sickly sweet voice, "I'm sure we could have had such fun you and I. I would have enjoyed a _little pay back_." The last phrase she said with such venom some of those assembled flinched. Her voice rose as the shadows she carried with her gathered around her latest victim.

"So unresponsive, how rude Draco and I was sure you had such exquisite manners."

She sighed changing tone and persona, hinting at the first signs of madness.

"I would have so enjoyed seeing your face as this _'filthy little mud-blood'_ ripped out your throat."

As she intended her act cause those Death Eaters gathered, the sane ones at least, to still with fear in her presence. Preternatural stillness held the room as she acted the deranged witch and continued her 'interrogation'.

"What's that you say?" She asked making it seem as if she expected an answer, "too quick, not painful enough to repay you what I owe?"

Some now watched enthralled, with the thrill of her anticipated bloodlust, as she continued her monologue. They disgusted her, vile, foul beings, how could they be considered superior? At least Nott, one of Draco's oldest friends looked shame faced as if he was struggling to watch.

"You're right Draco darling, you _deserve_ more," she continued as if addressing a small child.

"MORE pain, MORE suffering," she yelled before concluding with low menace.

"YOU-DESERVE-TO-BURN!" she punctuated every word for emphasis.

"Like the phoenix perhaps you will be reborn," she muttered these last words seemingly to herself, to give the appearance that all vestige of sanity was gone.

Steeling herself for the horror she would now perform, reminding herself that the body before her was beyond caring and that it was not really Draco, she summoned her power. Flames formed at her finger tips growing in intensity as she sucked more power towards herself.

"Your sweet pure blood will boil, your beautiful alabaster skin will blister and blacken and I will enjoy _every moment_ of your agony."

White hot flame shot towards the beautiful form before her. She wanted to retch as the stench of burning flesh filled the space. She dare not look away, dare not break character as she watch 'Draco's' handsome face melt, his fine platinum blond hair singe and flare as tongues of fire raged around him. Resuming her manic persona Hermione circled the pyre like carrion as she immolated her victim all the while maintaining a mask of cold indifference.

It was done she prayed it was convincing because she knew this act would haunt her all her days.

"The ring"- she gestured to the hand of the now blackened heap before her – "clean up the mess." She took the Malfoy family ring and apparated away. Multiple pops of apparition sounded in her wake.

* * *

"My Lord it is done," Hermione announced to Voldemort as they all reappeared before him. She didn't even bother to bow daring to creating an air of arrogance.

"And the body?" Voldemort hissed.

"Vaporised," she told him calmly, "but I assure you he is dead as many here witnessed and I brought a small souvenir." She held out the Malfoy family ring.

"I see," Voldemort said rather tartly.

Voldemort held out his hand for the ring, examined it then, satisfied it was indeed Draco's ring, he threw it aside and disappeared through a veil of black mist.

With Voldemort gone Hermine knelt to reclaim the ring. Slipping onto her right index finger, raising it to gently caress the ring with her lips, fighting to hold back the tears from the horror of what she had just done.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So why we know why Hermione 'killed' Draco at the start but will they get away with their deception?


	31. Did it work?

Her dark travelling cloak snapped around her petite frame as she appeared in the midst of a howling gale. Pulling the cloak tightly around her she moved deliberately towards the ruins of the old castle, seeking out the shadows as if they could somehow disguise the stains upon her soul.

Passing under the fractured archway, that had once been a door, she saw the figure she had come to meet. Red hair flaming in the wind he stood stoically looking out across the landscape. Sensing her presence he turned.

"Did it work?" he demanded, "am I dead?"

"Red really?" she asked in distaste, could you not have found a less conspicuous disguise.

"I thought you liked red!" he smirked unrepentant,

"Not on you," she scolded.

Transfiguring his hair back to its natural colour he asked again;

"So it worked?"

She sighed and nodded before adding, "It was harrowing, logically I knew it wasn't you but…" she choked on her words unable to say what she felt. " You know I would walk through the fiery pits of Hell to save you, but now I need you to save me, " she told him, "I need you to help me reaffirm my humanity. I don't know if I can ever forgive myself for what I've just done, hold me Draco."

He didn't need a second request; he pulled her to him closing his eyes unable to contemplate what it had cost her to keep him safe.

"I will never be able to repay you for what you have done," he told her almost morosely.

"I don't need payment Draco, just love me."

He tightened his hold, a silent signal that loving her was something he could never stop. He wanted to show her here and now just how much he loved her but he knew they didn't have time for such distraction. Instead he contented himself with telling her:

"I do love you, don't ever forget that."

They were silent for a long time enjoying their embrace revelling in the warmth they brought to each other.

"What now Draco?" she asked finally breaking the silence, "all this and are we any nearer to destroying him?"

"I don't know," he said honestly, "but I want you to be safe."

"Safety is only relative Draco," she said with a sigh, "until he is destroyed there is nowhere that I am truly safe. I need to go back."

"No," Draco almost screamed tightening his hold on his witch.

"Draco please don't fight me on this. I need to atone for what I have just done and I can do that best from the inside making myself useful to the Order." She pleaded with him.

He could have told her that as a pure blood wife she would have been expected to do as her husband said but he knew there was little point, she wouldn't listen, instead he reminded her:

"That was supposed to be my role." He told her despondently. Perhaps he felt emasculated by his inability to defend his witch. It stung his pride but he rationalised there was little he could do.

"Then, we will need to swop roles, it makes sense don't you see?" she asked him enthusiastically, "you can help Harry, help him find the horcruxes, you're as smart as I am Draco. I know you can do it."

"If we don't kill each other first," he muttered under his breath.

"I heard that Draco Malfoy," she scolded, "you know as well as I do that you and Harry are far beyond that now."

He hadn't really given it much thought. _Did he trust Potter to have his back in a fight?_ He wondered. He knew Potter was honourable and so long as Potter trusted him, and he did nothing to betray that trust, Draco would be safe.

"Alright," he conceded, "let's see what mischief my 'ghost' can cause."

* * *

It had been sometime before they could bear to part but final Draco returned to Grimmauld Place.

"You look well for a ghost," Remus quipped, as Draco settled himself at the kitchen table. "Dumbledore said you would work with us in the end." Remus continued, "The noblest of your house he called you."

Draco's eyebrows rose at that, h _ad_ _the_ _old_ ma _n_ _really_ _foreseen_ _this_? Something within him swelled with pride. Perhaps he had not disappointed his former Headmaster after all.

"Malfoy," the boy who lived greeted him, "so you've seen the light," Potter teased.

"Yes absolutely blinded by the light of your bloody brilliance," Draco countered. Potter laughed, _who would have thought it?_ Draco wondered, _that he would be sitting round a kitchen table engaging in banter with Harry Potter._

"Draco," his cousin greeted him in a tone that suggested she was genuinely pleased to see him again.

"How are you Nym..Tonks?" He corrected recalling his cousin's dislike of her given name.

"The better for seeing you safe and well, Aunt Narcissa was beside herself with worry."

"How is my mother?" he asked her.

"Well enough,"

Remus cleared his throat to get their attention;

"Lovely as this is perhaps we should get down to business?"

"Of course," both Tonks and Draco agreed in unison.

"I think we can all agree there is now an even greater need for urgency. We can't allow Hermione to remain in the hands of the Dark Lord for any longer than absolutely necessary. Who knows what he will have her do and we all know that it will destroy her to take part in any 'Death Eater action'" Remus made air quotes around these words. "Harry I need you to fill Draco in on what we know about the Horcrux, perhaps he knows something that can help us?"

* * *

Hermione quickly recognised that she needed allies if she was to survive in Voldemort's camp. Lucius may have helped her once but she couldn't guarantee he would help her again. She knew he had only helped because it was to save his son and heir and she suspected, whilst his first loyalty may be to his family rather than Voldemort that did not mean he would help the Order. There had to be someone else, she needed someone to watch her back.

She considered the others around her, many were too deranged or too vicious to help her. The Lestrange bothers hated her for destroying Bellatrix. Hermione quickly realised that her options were severely limited, she put herself at great risk even if she even hinted at her true purpose. A huge part of her screamed it wasn't worth the risk but she couldn't do this alone.

She watched Draco's former friends carefully. Of those Slytherins that had joined the cause the only one who seemed remotely likely to help her was Nott. She remembered his face and his struggle for controlled as she had played out Draco's apparent death. She needed to be sure, he seemed to at least have some sensibility but would he help her?

* * *


	32. The Hunt

The Order had established that there were at least six horcruxes, three had already been destroyed that left at least three unaccounted for. It seemed they were objects of significance either to Riddle or to the Wizarding World at large, the question was where were they?

Hermione had established that many had been given to trusted followers for safe keeping. Hence Lucius had been in precession of Riddle's diary, it was likely that Bellatrix had a horcrux too. But where had she put it? Hermione's best guess was in her Vault but she was dead and the vault was tied to Black family blood. The goblins would not release the vault for a year and a day then, if an heir did not come forward in that time to claim it the contents, they would go to the ministry. The only other known Black heirs were Draco's mother, his aunt, his cousin and of course Draco himself. The slight problem being Draco was supposedly dead and his mother, aunt and cousin were all in hiding. The vault required Black blood to open it- that bit Draco could do but how did they get into Gringott's in the first place? He couldn't just stroll through the front door without giving away their deepest secret.

"You have to be insane Draco," his mother told him, "you can't break into Gringott's"

"Oh we can mother," he told her, "breaking in will _not_ be a problem, getting back out, well that will be entirely another order of difficulty."

"Then what do you intend to do?" his mother questioned.

"I honestly have no idea," Draco confessed.

* * *

Hermione was struggling to sleep, constant stress and being constantly on her guard was beginning to take its toll. She paced the halls of Malfoy Manor looking for something to ease the stress. She had tried the library but she could not settle her mind to focus on reading anything. She was anxious about Harry and Draco, anxious about her own roll in Voldemort's cohorts, anxious about finding an ally she could trust. She begged Merlin that Harry and Draco would find the horcruxes quickly. She was tortured by the prospect of having to really murder someone to maintain her cover. She didn't think she could do it.

Snapping out of her reverie she found herself in an unfamiliar corridor on the far side of the Manor. Turning to try and make her way back her eyes spotted a familiar name; 'Draco'. The elegantly carved nameplate marked what must be Draco's room. The desire to be near him or some part of him called out to her frantic soul and she put out her hand caressing the door handle, wondering how many times his hands had touched it. Slowly she turned the handle and entered the unlit room. 'Lumos' she said, light flooded the room and Hermione gasped.

Draco's room was everything she remembered, fit for a pureblood prince, cavernous in its proportions. The drapes were deep purple silk, the huge bed, with its deep feather quilt and soft down pillows looked like a fairy tale prince must have slept there without a care, blissfully embraced in the arms of Morpheus. The room was like a shrine to the man she loved. His racing broom was mounted above the elegant fireplace. Bookcases groaned with the weight of his books, not unlike those of Hermione herself. There was a seating area, a book, unfinished and with its pages still marked by the absent reader, sat beside a leather wingback chair. Hermione wondered how many times Draco had sat there and read. There was a small collection of miniature quidditch players, Hermione suspected they had been a childhood toy but they were like new. They spoke of the fact that, despite his enormous wealth, Draco had been a careful child who had looked after his toys. It made sense to her now that she knew him better, now that she knew he had a heart.

To Hermione's right there was another set of double doors which she thought led to an en suite. She opened them cautiously trying to make no sound. Intrinsically she knew she could not be caught here but she couldn't resist exploring further and taking the risk. The doors opened onto a dressing room, it was lined with rails of beautifully tailored dress robes, crisp well cut shirts and the smell…it brought forward the intensity of her longing for him, his scent, not his cologne but the essence of Draco Malfoy hung heavily in the air. Although everything was clean and laundered the scent of him was there, she knew it and it soothed her. She reached out for a green Slytherin quidditch shirt his name emblazoned across the back in bold silver script; 'Malfoy'. She considered stealing it away so she could sleep with it next to her heart but she dare not. Instead Hermione contented herself with lifting it to her face so she could breathe that fragrance of him. She closed her eyes willing the smell to calm her and then she froze. There was a barely perceptible creek of the floor behind her. The hair on the back of her neck prickled.

Quickly gathering her power to her she spun to confront the 'intruder'.

* * *

 _Trust Potter to be in possession of one of the deathly hallows,_ Draco thought as they slowly crept across the lobby of Gringott's. It all made sense now how the Boy-Who-Lived never seemed to get caught after curfew whilst they had been at Hogwarts, though he had quite clearly been out of bed at all hours. The cloak was a bit too small, they had supplemented it with disillusionment charms and notice me not spells just in case. It would never do for a toe or a heel to suddenly materialise from thin air.

They made slow progress but they could not afford to collide with any of the customers or employees. Then they had to wait until a customer needed to access their vault moving swiftly to get into the elevator before the doors closed. Finally they made it to Bellatrix's vault.

"Just pray this works," he said dragging a blade across his palm to raise droplets of blood, "and then that we can find it."

"If it's there I will know," Harry told him as a matter of fact.

"How will you know?" Draco asked the hair prickled at his neck at Harry's absolute certainty.

"I can feel them," Harry told him.

Somewhere at the back of Draco's mind alarm bells rang, this meant something important but he couldn't quite recall what it was. Shaking off his feeling of unease Draco stepped forward and squeezed his hand above the lock, four large drops of blood fell on to the mechanism.

Nothing happened.

"Oh Shit," Draco cursed not expecting this. Harry looked like he might be about to hyperventilate and then there was a sudden whining sound.

* * *


	33. The Greater Good

The ancient rusting lock whined as the bolts on Bellatrix's vault slowly fell away. Draco let out a breath he had not known he was holding as the door gradually creaked open.

"Be careful Harry," Draco warned, "there could be any number of curses and dark magic in this vault, whilst I'm not known for my bravery I think I had better go first, my blood should offer me a greater measure of protection."

"After you," Harry said with a mock bow he couldn't resist.

"Cute Potter," Draco scoffed as he eased his way into the vault.

Bellatrix's vault was packed to the rafters; there was barely a square meter of space for them to stand in. Gold and gemstones littered the floor as if it were the lair of some avaricious dragon.

"Any ideas?" Draco questioned turning to look over his shoulder at Harry. Harry didn't respond instead closing his eyes in concentration.

"There," Harry pointed in the direction of the back of the Vault.

"You have to be kidding me," Draco let out in exasperation as he viewed the vast expanse of loot they would need to climb over to reach whatever Potter had spotted.

Harry just shrugged and began to wade his way across the room. Before he had taken more than a couple of strides the two wizards realised they had a large problem; the Gemini Curse. Everything they touched multiplied, in the already cramped space there was a real danger they would be crushed. They needed to get above the mass of treasure that was expanding at an alarming rate. Draco took a leap reaching up for the edge of a shelf that lined the walls of the vault. He reached to pull Harry up behind him. It would give them a few moments. Harry took off along the shelves stopping before what appeared to be a small gold cup.

"Catch," he called as he threw it towards Draco. Draco thanked Merlin for his seekers reflexes, if he had dropped it they might never have found the real one in time. "Get out," Harry urged, "I'm right behind you."

Draco scrambled through the door but as soon as he had he realised their mistake Draco, whose blood was from the ancient house of Black, had left the vault the doors began to close.

"Potter," he hollered, "hurry!"

Potter emerged just in time, surfing a wave of galleons as the doors finally sealed themselves shut.

"That was close," Harry let out on a sigh of relief, "now how do we get out of here?"

* * *

"Nott!" Hermione snapped, "don't you know better than to sneak up on a witch like that? I could have 'aveda' you."

He didn't answer her asking instead asking;

"What are you doing here?"

Hermione was lucky that she was a quick thinker.

"I was looking for a hair for some pollyjuice…"

He looked at her unconvinced and Hermione felt a sudden well of rising panic, _why had she mentioned pollyjuice?_ She chastised herself. Nott was smart, it might not take him much to put two and two together.

"Why did you do it?" he asked. Hermione was momentarily confused,

"Do what?" she demanded,

"Kill him." Nott replied.

Hermione instantly knew who he meant but she needed to play for time, she needed to think her way out.

"Who?" she enquired.

"Don't play stupid," Nott snapped waving his wand to indicate the contents of the room, "Draco!"

"Why do you care?" she asked dismissively.

"He was my friend!" he screamed at her. Hermione could not miss the anguish in his voice and she swallowed the thick lump that formed in her throat. Nott didn't know, he would be mourning his friend, she wished she could ease his pain but she knew she couldn't.

"It was him or me, the Dark Lord made that clear," she stated.

He looked at her with utter contempt;

"You don't fool me _My Lady,"_ he spit out her title as if it was bitter poison, "I saw you."

Hermione blanched but she knew she had to hold her nerve. She steeled her features to give nothing away.

"I saw your face, you cared for him."

Hermione scoffed dismissively and moved to leave the room. Nott grabbed her wrist, she looked at him trying to make her eyes burn with rage that he had dared to touch her but he was braver that she had given him credit for. Nott neither flinched nor let her go, he was not done with her.

"And just now, tell me _My Lady,"_ he pressed on, "what was that? Why would you breathe in his clothes as if they were a life line?"

"I don't know what you mean…" she began in panicked denial.

"Don't!" he shouted, "don't lie to me. I had to watch my oldest friend destroyed at your hands. It will haunt me all my life. I wanted to kill you for that and then afterwards I watched you. I saw you brush your lips to his ring like a lover. I saw the tears brimming in your eyes."

Hermione was frantic now, Nott suspected something.

"And I asked myself," he continued his voice quiet almost a whisper, "why would Hermione Granger, the bleeding heart of Gryffindor, kill anyone even her worst enemy?" He paused for a moment but clearly did not expect her to answer before he concluded. "I knew the answer was that you wouldn't, you couldn't, not even for the greater good. Where is he Granger?"

"Dead!" She said emphatically, she dare not show weakness.

"And he meant nothing to you?" Nott persisted.

"No more than you!" She told him. It was a veiled threat and he narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione made to leave again this time he let her pass.

"You're wrong about me Nott, you would be surprised what I am capable of." She told him making swift strides for the door but before she reached it Theo had one parting shot;

"He was in love with you, you know."

Hermione froze.

"He had loved you for years," Nott continued to reminisce, "He used to complain you'd be the death of him, it's tragic that he was right." He concluded almost to himself.

Hermione couldn't take anymore and she fled Draco's shirt still clutched tightly in her arms.

* * *


	34. Cat and Mouse

They had made it as far as the elevator, the great plan being to keep it simple and to leave the bank the way they had come in. The only problem was somewhere in the confusion of the vault Harry had dropped his cloak.

"We could go back for it…" Harry suggested tentatively trailing off as Draco gave him a disbelieving look. "No, I suppose not." Harry said answering is own suggestion. "So what do you suggest?"

"I have absolutely no bloody idea Potter," Draco growled at his former enemy.

_Think,_ Draco he told himself, _there had to be a way out._ _There had to be a way of leaving without revealing their identities or raising the alarm._

"How good are you at transfiguration?" Draco asked.

"I can manage what did you have in mind?" Harry enquired his eyes narrowing as Draco smirked at him wickedly, "and why do I get the feeling I won't like it."

"Don't worry Potter a little game of cat and mouse never hurt anyone!" Draco told him looking even more amused.

Harry had the horrible feeling he was going to be the mouse.

* * *

Hermione threw herself into her room and closed the door. _He knows_ , she told herself in a panic, _Theo knows._ She held Draco's shirt to her wishing desperately that he was there to help her. _What shall I do Draco?_ She asked him silently even though he couldn't hear her. _Can Theo be trusted? Will he betray us? He was Draco's friend,_ she rationalised _, surely that counted for something-didn't it?_

She didn't see Theo again for days but at least he had not betrayed her yet. He was clearly angry with her, he blamed her for his friends death. She wasn't guilty but she couldn't tell him that yet she knew he suspected something. 'Where is he?' he had asked her in truth, at this moment in time, she didn't know and it scared her. She couldn't sense Draco at all and she was frantic. He could be unconscious bleeding out in some ditch, he could be dead. _Stop it Hermione,_ she told herself, _just stop it._ She needed to calm down she picked up her book, she still couldn't focus. She took a walk through the gardens but they only reminded her of Narcissa which in turn brought her thought back to Draco. She wondered the Manors staircases and corridors hoping that some solution would present itself.

She must have unconsciously made her way back to his room, her conscious mind knew it was a bad idea but her subconscious sought comfort and this was the only place she knew she could find it. Cautiously she opened his door; the room was exactly how she had left it. She sat on the edge of his bed trying to focus using the blood magic that linked them to call to him. Nothing; there was no hint of his being, it was like he had ceased to exist. She couldn't bear it any longer, it broke her she curled up on his bed, buried her face in the pillows that still faintly smelt like him and she sobbed. Great renting sobs shock her body.

* * *

Gringott's lobby was a scene of chaos; witches screaming, clinging to their spouses, climbing on stools to get off the floor as a small grey mouse sped across the marble floor closely pursued by a white cat. The mouse zigzagged for its life seeking refuge under the hems of robes and beneath the counters that lined the bank’s halls.

Random explosions hit the ground as wizards fired spells at the offending vermin but they missed. The terrified tiny mammal made it to the door just as it opened to allow other customers to enter. It darted outside closely followed by the determined cat. Everyone indoors breathed a sigh of relief as the two creatures raced across Diagon Ally into the shadows of one of the overhanging buildings.

* * *

"Hermione," she flinched as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. It was too late now he had caught her she was at his mercy and now her grief felt real.

Theo didn't ask why she was crying he knew, knew he had been right all along.

"You loved him didn't you?"

She didn't respond she just cried harder. Theo sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and lifted the weeping witch into his embrace. It was all he could think of to do to give her comfort. He could not imagine what it must feel like to kill someone you loved and to do so so violently.

Hermione knew she had no choice now she would have to trust Theo, at least to some extent.

"Tell me about him," she said through her now subsiding sobs, "tell me what you remember."

"He admired you greatly," Theo began, "he didn't want to and he fought against it. He tried to belittle you but in the end his heart wasn't in it. But then I suppose you know all this; he died for you didn't he?"

Hermione knew that Theo was struggling to understand what had happened that day. Struggling to grasp how, if she loved Draco, she could have killed him. Did she dare tell him the truth? _NO_! she told herself, it was too much of a risk. Even if Theo could be trusted what if others read his thoughts? She couldn't tell him. She couldn't tell him that she hadn't killed her love, that she could never do that, but now she didn't know where he was or if he was still alive. She decided upon a half truth.

"Yes," she stated simply, "he died to protect me and now…" she couldn't finish.

"You wish he hadn't? That you were dead too?" Theo finished for her. All Hermione could do was nod in acknowledgement. All Theo could do was to hug her knowing there was nothing he could say. Emotional wounds like this could break a person, there was nothing that could heal this, the best she could hope for was that time would numb the pain.

"Theo," she said tentatively, "I don't want him to have died in vain I need you to help me."

* * *

"Bloody Hell Malfoy,” Harry cursed as he morphed back into human form, "you nearly got us killed." Harry turned expecting to see Draco smirking at him but the small white cat was meowing at him in distress. Its small paws flicking at the tiny charmed goblet that hung around its throat.

"Draco?" Harry questioned in concern. This had to be Malfoy, the goblet hung around his neck but he seemed to be stuck in the cat form he had transfigured himself into. The meowing became louder, more insistent. Harry realised that there was a problem, Malfoy couldn't switch back into human form.

"Are you stuck Malfoy?" Harry asked. The cat continued to meow insistently, still batting its paw against the goblet at its throat. "I never really was a cat person Harry told the small white animal. They're too arrogant always seeking attention," Harry continued his monologue, "but you do make a very pretty kitty."

He reached out to pet the animal which immediately took a swipe at him its claws out before scratching desperately at its throat. It finally dawned on Harry what might be the problem and whilst paying Malfoy back for his little game of cat and mouse was very attractive, Harry fully understood how dangerous horcruxes could be. Reaching out his hand again he removed the 'collar' from the 'cat'.

* * *


	35. Vulnerability

Harry should have anticipated the blow but it wasn't until he found himself on his arse, in a dark passage off Diagon Alley, that he realised how pissed Draco was with him.

"Fucking twat," Draco spat out at him as he shook out the knuckles that had just connected with Harry's jaw, "how long was it going to take you to realise the goblet was preventing me from transfiguring myself back?"

Harry felt chastened rather than angry, he had been trying to tease Malfoy and hadn't realised the danger the other man was in. He sighed heavily;

"Sorry," Harry said getting to his feet. The simple apology seemed to take the wind out of Malfoy's sails.

"Well we've got it now next we need to get out of here and destroy it."

Harry simply nodded his acknowledgement before disapperating back to Grimmauld Place.

* * *

Hermione had drifted to sleep in Theo's embrace but she sat suddenly bolt upright as she felt a sudden surge of rage.

"Draco, where are you?" she let out before she could stop herself. Hermione quickly realised her mistake as she saw Theo's face. There was an unexpected tenderness there, she might call it pity. She wondered for the first time why Theo was here. She suspected, like Draco, he had been dragged into this role against his will because he was the son of a pureblood family.

"It was just a bad dream," she told him quickly trying to cover her mistake knowing that what she had experienced were Draco's emotions. _He's still alive_ , she told herself. Suddenly she was aware of him again. She had no idea why she had _'lost his signal'_ but she was beyond relieved to have it back.

Theo nodded but said nothing.

"I can understand what Draco saw in you," he told her suddenly as he rubbed calming circles against her back, "you are very beautiful."

Hermione pulled away from him. This had been a mistake, she should never have shown Theo any vulnerability. He might seek to comfort her or worse woe her. As far as Theo knew her husband was dead he didn't even know she and Draco had married.

"I'm sorry," Theo began realising that he had misspoken, "I didn't mean anything by that..."

"It's alright Theo but I feel like... I need to grieve for him and…" _there cannot be anyone else._ Her final words were left unspoken but he seemed to understand.

"I'm here for you Hermione when every you need me," he told her, "but I think we should both get out of here before we are discovered."

* * *

Back at Grimmauld Place Draco eyed the Hufflepuff cup with distaste.

"So how do we destroy it?" he asked Harry.

Harry looked lost for a moment.

"You do know how to destroy it, don't you?" Draco questioned. Harry simply nodded, "then let's do it." Draco insisted.

"It's not that simple," Harry began, "there are only 3 things I know would destroy it, two of which we don't have and the third is too dangerous." Draco looked at his former nemesis with incredulity. Harry sighed and began to explain. One is the sword of Gryffindor, another is basilisk venom and the third fiendfyre."

"Ah!" Draco responded acknowledging the difficulty by his tone.

"I would never dare risk fiendfyre, I don't think either of us could control it. That leaves the venom and the sword."

"Hogwarts," Draco announced thinking a few steps ahead of Harry.

"Pardon?" Harry asked somewhat confused.

"We should find both at Hogwarts and if I'm not mistaken, that is also where the remaining artefacts associated with the founders are to be found, which may mean another horcruxes can be found. Two birds with one stone! Come on Potter."

"Wait," Harry cautioned as Draco looked about to apparate away, "we need a plan."

"What no Gryffindor bravado, no rush right in and try to avoid getting killed?" Draco said with a sarcastic raise of his eyebrows. "Don't worry Potter I already have a plan!"

* * *

Hermione and Theo had barely gone ten meters beyond Draco's room door when they were arrested by an intense burning in their forearms. Grimacing Hermione turned to Theo;

"It appears we have been summoned," she said.

Theo visibly swallowed steeling himself for another encounter with the homicidal maniac that he now called his master.

"Ladies first, _My Lady_ ," he said indicating to Hermione to lead the way.

Voldemort paced back and forth before the grand fireplace in the formal drawing room of Malfoy Manor. He was uncharacteristically agitated, his true maniacal nature all too evidence in his movement.

"Ah, at last," he greeted Hermione whilst ignoring Nott entirely, "I have need of your services my dear."

"My Lord," Hermione acknowledge with the merest nod of her head waiting for him to elaborate.

"It is time to teach these blood traitors a lesson. I have tolerated them too long hoping they will see the errors of their ways but my generosity is not boundless."

"Of course My Lord," Hermione played along waiting for the axe to fall.

"Arthur Weasley has interfered once too often. I assume you know where to find him?" the latter was a rhetorical question. Hermione understood all too well she was being tested. "Bring him to me," Voldemort concluded.

"And what of the rest of the Weasleys?" McNair piped up. Hermione gave him a look that could have eviscerated him on the spot.

"You dare to interrupt?" Hermione snapped hoping to distract The Dark Lord from issuing orders that might prove fatal for her friends.

"They are of no importance, do as you will." Voldemort dismissed ignoring Hermione. Greyback looked positively gleeful as he heard those words. Hermione felt positively sick. She schooled her features to be still but inside she was panicking. She had to warn the Weasleys _but how?_ She wondered.

She turned to leave the room;

"Where are you going my dear?" Voldemort enquired.

"To get my cloak and mask," she replied affecting confusion.

"Allow me," Voldemort snapped his fingers and with a harsh crack her things appeared in his hands. He oozed towards her feigning the manners of a gentleman and holding out her cloak for her. Hermione tamped down the shiver of revulsion that threatened to run down her spine as his hands rose to place the cloak around her.

Hermione flinched as she felt the sudden pressure of his cold hand at her throat.

"Sometime I think you forget that you are a witch," he susurrated with low menace. Hermione knew she had little choice now. She either fled and exposed her duplicity or she went along and tried somehow to alert the Burrow and save her friends. She remained silent neither challenging nor confirming his suspicion. She did not dare meet his gaze finally he appeared to lose interest.

"Go" he commanded.

Hermione turned to where she knew Theo stood behind her.

"Nott," she addressed him imperiously, "you're with me."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify Hermione couldn't sense Draco while he was a cat hence her concern. I was going to explain this but thought it would spoil the flow so the footnote is here just to make clear why she thought she had lost him.


	36. Unforgivable

As Harry and Draco appeared in a dark alley in Hogsmead they immediately cast 'disillusionment' and 'notice-me-not' charms on themselves. Harry regretted leaving his invisibility cloak in Bellatrix vault but at least he knew it was safe there. They set off for the Hog's Head hopeful that its proprietor would assist them in gaining access to Hogwarts castle or its grounds.

A worn-out wooden sign came into view, a wild boar's severed head. The Hog's Head had some degree of notoriety and going in was a risk they were both reluctant to take but they knew they had little choice. As an additional precaution both young men transfigured their appearance before entering. Draco's hair morphed into an unremarkable mousy brown his eyes became bluer. Harry's eyes became brown and his hair, which always had a tendency to stick up, became a purple punk style.

Draco glared at him;

"Inconspicuous!" he exclaimed. Harry huffed and turned his hair to auburn curls.

"Better?"

"Beautiful Potter," Draco teased, "purple just wasn't your colour."

Harry scoffed realising suddenly that Malfoy was nervous and that the sarcasm was Draco's own style of bravado. He nodded his head towards the door silently signalling Draco to go ahead.

"You're the bloody Gryffindor," Draco snarled, "you can damn well go first."

Harry snorted but refrained from calling the other young man a coward. He had long come to realise that the Malfoy heir was actually rather brave, despite having a strongly defined sense of self preservation. Harry edged the pub door open, as he slipped inside he realised they were in luck. The Hog's Head was completely devoid of any clientele whatsoever.

Aberforth Dumbledore stood behind the bar, drying glasses with a greasy cloth. _No wonder trade is bad,_ Draco thought to himself eyeing the cloth with distaste.

"What can I get you two gentlemen?" Aberforth asked although he had not so much as raised his head to look at them. Harry approached the bar dropping the disillusionment charm and transfiguring his features back to normal.

"Harry?" Aberforth said looking stunned, "what on earth are you doing here?" he asked flicking his wand towards the door, flipping the sign to closed and setting up wards to keep clients out, "are you insane?" he continued without giving Harry time to respond.

"Quite possibly," Draco muttered under his breath. Ignoring both Aberforth's question and the blond Harry announced his motive.

"We need to get into Hogwarts."

Aberforth huffed and shook his head.

"I know," Draco agreed to the unvoiced sentiment, "positively certifiable."

"Malfoy?" Aberforth question apparently recognising the characteristic drawl.

Continuing to ignore Aberforth's questions Harry asked;

"Can you help us?"

Aberforth looked at Harry then as if the younger man had a death wish.

"It's important," Harry continued unabashed.

"Isn't it always," Aberforth responded cynically before adding, "follow me."

* * *

As Hermione appeared outside the Burrows she made the loudest pop of disapparation she could manage. Nott was beside her, Greyback and McNair appeared seconds later.

"Round the back," she instructed immediately seeking to move them away from Theo and herself.

As soon as they were out of earshot she turned to Theo;

"Help me," she pleaded, "they are like my family."

For a moment Theo stood there stony faced before replying:

"Draco was like my brother,"

Hermione looked stunned, _would he not help her?_

"Please," she begged.

Theo let out a sigh and nodded slightly,

"What do you want me to do?"

"Keep them distracted for a moment, I only need a moment," Theo nodded okay and walked towards the back of the house where the other Death Eaters had gone.

Wasting no time Hermione dug deep to find one of her happiest memories, she smiled to herself as she recalled Draco burying his hands in her hair and saying her given name in a soft choked whisper.

"Expecto patronum," she uttered, the sparkling blue/white light flowed from her wand forming into an otter; "get out now!" she warned. It was the only warning she could think to give and she prayed it would reach them.

As the patronus disappeared the front door of the Burrows opened. _No!_ She screamed internally as Arthur Weasley's red head appeared in the door way.

"Stupefy," she heard before she had chance to warn him. Greyback had rounded the building and was now dragging the unconscious Arthur towards her.

"Take him to the Dark Lord," Greyback bristled at her imperious tone his bloodlust clear not yet satisfied. "What are you waiting for?" she demanded," the Dark Lord is waiting.” Clearly he had considered challenging her but thinking better of it he disapparated taking the unconscious Arthur Weasley with him.

_Shit!_ She cursed internally. She didn't trust him with Arthur but she dare not leave the rest of the Weasleys with McNair.

"McNair, we're done here," she ordered.

"My Lady," he acknowledged with a sneer, "what about the rest?"

"Of no consequence, now come,"

He made to leave but just as Hermione prepared to disaparate he turned firing an 'incendo' at the Burrows.

She glared at him;

"You said they were of no consequence!" he smirked at her before a loud pop sounded his disappearance.

Hermione watched in abject horror at the inferno that had been the Burrows. She was about to run towards the building but a pair of arms clamped her to the spot before disaparating them both.

* * *

Hermione struggled in Theo's arms as they reappeared inside Draco's room at the manor.

"It was too late," he told her firmly, "there was nothing you could have done," Hermione was insane with rage but she would not take it out on Theo. Letting loose a wandless stinging jinx she distracted him enough to make him let go.

Hermione sped towards the drawing room where she expected McNair was now in the Dark Lord's presence. Her Magic broiled around her as she burst through the doors, ignoring Theo who was hot on her heels.

"Crucio," she incanted. McNair was on his knees before he knew what had hit him, the pain was so intense that he soiled himself in his agony but Hermione did not stop.

"How dare you defy me!" she screamed at him casting yet another unforgivable at him.

Preternatural stillness filled the room as the assembled ranks of Death Eaters looked on. Voldemort said nothing, he merely watch with a calculating look that said he was not sure if he dare intervene. Theo would later confess himself terrified; the sweet petite Gryffindor of his youth had gone, replaced instead by a dark witch who oozed dark power.

"My Dear," Voldemort tentatively intervened, "enough, end this now," He finally dared to demand.

She turned to him her eyes ablaze with anger and contempt;

"With pleasure," she slowly enunciated.

" Avada Kedavra," the killing green light shot from her wand.

Only as she looked at the body at her feet did Hermione begin to regain some measure of control but it was too late. She had already done something unforgivable, a part of her soul shriveled and recoiled as she realised she had killed a man.

* * *


	37. Shattered Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: a bit of bad language in this chapter-necessary for the situation-apologies if you dislike that sort of thing.

Draco gasped, he suddenly felt a crushing weight on his chest as if his soul were being torn out. He fell his knees hitting the earth of the dank tunnel that Aberforth had led them into.

"Malfoy?" Harry turned at the sudden thud as Draco's knees hit the floor.

Draco tried to respond but he was panicking, struggling for breath but he began to realise it was not his panic it was Hermione's.

"Hermione," he managed to rasp out, "there's something wrong."

Harry went white but quickly recovering himself then, with uncharacteristic decisiveness, he pulled Draco to his feet.

"Come on Malfoy let's get this over with then we can get Hermione out."

"I need to go to her," Draco said.

"Don't be a fool boy," Aberforth intervened, "you will just get yourself and probably Hermione killed too."

Draco was barely listening, he fought to shake off Harry's grip.

"Malfoy," Harry yelled trying to get the blond wizard to focus, "Draco," he tried again. Harry's unexpected use of his given name seemed to snap Draco to attention. "You can't just go charging in there you'll blow her cover, expose her as a traitor, the chances are pretty high neither of you will get out alive."

"Harry's right," Aberforth added seeing that the blond was clearly conflicted, "Hermione knew what she was getting herself into Draco, would you have wanted her to risk herself to come charging in after you?"

"I don't care," Draco gritted out petulantly.

"Think about the greater good…" Aberforth suggested, it was the wrong thing to say Draco's emotions exploded.

"Sod the greater good, fuck everyone else, fuck this war and fuck you." Exhausted by his diatribe Draco slumped back to his knees, "she's all I ever wanted." He said so quietly it was almost to himself.

Harry could honestly say, at that moment, it was the first time he had ever felt any affinity with the blond Slytherin.

"Would Hermione do it for the greater good?" Aberforth persisted.

"Of course she would," Draco spat out with considerable vitriol, "she's a bloody Gryffindor."

"Then if you honour her you can follow her lead, get up and let's get out of here." Aberforth told him.

Draco bristled at Aberforth's assertive tone but he got up and brushed himself down.

"Right," Harry said trying to ease his own tension and set off back down the tunnel.

* * *

Hermione fled from the Drawing Room like a scolded cat Theo on her heels;

"My Lady," he called after her, she ignored him but Theo was a good head taller than Hermione and his legs were longer. He quickly outpaced her.

"Hermione," he tried again catching her elbow.

"Let go of me," she rounded on him, "don't touch me!" she yelled. Theo dropped his hand and stepped back fearful, she was not stable and he did not want to be on the receiving end of her wand. That didn't mean he would not try to help her.

"Hermione," he tried again his tone soft, not threatening, "look at me." Her eyes were broiling with rage. She looked almost demented, he knew he needed to calm her and he knew that there was only one place where she would feel safe. Cautiously, placing a hand on the small of her back, he guided her to Draco's room.

When they were through the door he silenced and warded it.

"Hermione," he said softly pulling her into a gentle embrace in order to comfort her. Hermione began to sob.

"What have I done…he will never accept me now…how can I forgive myself." Hermione babbled somewhat incoherently.

"He was a bastard," Theo said seeking to comfort her, his words did nothing to reassure her.

"I felt it," she told him

"Felt what?" Theo asked a little confused.

"My soul shatter."

* * *

They reached the castle emerging into the room of requirements. Draco shivered as he recalled the hours he had spent here trying to fix the vanishing cabinet. He was snapped out of his memory when he sensed the presence of someone else in the room.

"There is someone here," he whispered to Potter as he raised his wand.

"It's alright," Aberforth reassured them putting out a hand to lower Draco's wand, "it's your welcoming committee."

"Neville?" Harry surged forward to greet the other Gryffindor grasping him by the forearm in a manly hand shake.

"Harry!" The other wizard returned, a hopeful expression on his face before he saw Draco. On catching sight of the blond Neville's features morphed into concern. "What is he doing here?"

Draco was a little impressed, there had been a time when Longbottom could not speak to him without stuttering, but here he was bravely staring him down.

"He's with us," Harry reassured. Neville didn't look reassured, "he's Hermione's husband."

"What?" Neville looked aghast.

"I know, long story, do you trust me Neville, trust my judgement?" Harry asked.

"Well yeah of course," Neville replied.

"Well I trust Draco and so does Hermione." Harry told him emphatically.

"Ok," Neville said but Draco could tell the taller Gryffindor was skeptical and would be watching him closely.

"Longbottom," Draco finally acknowledged the other man with a characteristic smirk. Neville ignored him and turned to Harry to ask;

"So what are we looking for Harry?"

* * *

Hermione went rigid as she was ripped from Theo's arms and thrown across the room, someone had broken through the wards on the door.

"Are you not forgetting something, _My Lady?"_ Lucius Malfoy said with a degree of vitriol that was unusual even for him. "Don't even think about it boy," he turned to face Theo who had struggled to his feet and raised his wand at the elder Malfoy. Bravely Theo did not flinch clearly determined to defend Hermione but Lucius, clearly disregarding the threat from the younger Wizard, turned his ire back to Hermione.

"You may not have been my choice for my son, but you are his wife and you will behave accordingly." Her Father-in-Law warned her. Hermione was too stunned to speak, Theo looked confused.

"What, do you mean she is Draco's wife?" Theo questioned.

"Oh, yes, did the little harlot fail to mention, while you held her in your arms, that she has a husband?" Malfoy senior said maliciously. Theo was clearly piecing things together;

"Has a husband?" he questioned.

"Damn it Lucius," Hermione spat out her temper boiling, "keep your mouth shut."

Lucius Malfoy looked dumbfounded, he had rarely if ever been spoken to like that.

"How dare you…" he began to bluster before he could go any further Hermione had him disarmed and her own wand at his throat.

"Be very careful what you say Lucius," she warned him, "I suggest you leave quietly. I have already killed one man today I would have few qualms about killing another."

Lucius Malfoy was unaccustomed to being threatened and clearly considered resisting his daughter-in-law's demands but he must have read the determination in her eyes and it was enough for him to think better of defying her.

"This conversation is not over," he told her as he spun on his heels and departed. Meanwhile Theo had continued to piece things together.

"I knew you could never have killed him," he told her his tone accusatory, "he's alive isn't he."

Hermione knew it was futile to deny it now, Lucius had said too much. She simply nodded.

"How?" Theo asked.

Hermione knew this was the crunch moment, Theo would either accept what she told him and agree to change sides or she would be force to take drastic measures.

"Pollyjuice potion," she began to explain, "The man you saw me emolliate was a recently deceased muggle transformed into Draco."

"So Draco is…"

"Alive and well, "Hermione finished for him.

"And you are his wife?" Theo sought to clarify the situation.

"Yes," she told him emphatically.

"I'm sorry Hermione I would never… if I had known," he began by way of apology but stopped as something rather more important than his inappropriate behaviour occurred to him. "You're a spy, then Draco…" Theo trailed off as realisation dawned on him that one of his best Friends was not only very much alive but also a traitor."

* * *


	38. Traitors All

Hermione watched Theo intently while he considered the implications of what he had discovered.

"And Lucius knows?" Theo continued as the puzzle pieces fell into place.

Hermione nodded.

Theo sat down heavily on the edge of Draco's bed, Hermione, now alert, her wand in her hand waited for the attack. It didn't come. Theo was silent for some time before he asked her;

"How can I help to bring that Bastard down?"

Hermione let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding and gave him a small smile.

* * *

Harry knew that Neville could be trusted but he paused for a moment before he responded to Neville's question.

"We're not entirely sure?" he told Longbottom.

"What do you mean?" Neville questioned.

"Well we know what we are looking for we are just not sure what it looks like." Draco sought to clarify. Neville looked all the more confused.

" We are looking for something called a horcrux…" Harry continued to explain to Neville what a horcrux was, how it was a piece of Voldemort's soul and while ever these pieces survived He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named remained immortal.

"So you can't kill him?" Neville asked.

"50 points to Gryffindor," Draco said sarcastically, he was already tense and he just couldn't find the energy to resist the jab at Longbottom. They _all_ ignored him.

"Only if we destroy the horcruxes first," Harry confirmed.

"Can we just bloody get on with this?" Draco asked becoming increasingly snarky as his concern for Hermione mounted.

"Then how do we destroy them?" Neville asked the obvious question.

"That's where we need your help Neville." Harry told him.

* * *

Hermione steadied her nerves, she decided she could trust Theo so she told him what she needed him to do.

"I need you to get Arthur Weasley out."

"But if I do that _he_ will know that there is a traitor in our midst," Theo responded,

"Yes, that means you will have to go with Arthur."

"But then you will be…" he trailed off,

"Alone," She finished for him.

Theo nodded,

"I knew what I was doing when I began this Theo and I began it alone." She told him.

"But I don't want you to get hurt. I…" he couldn't say ' _I think I might be in love with you,'_ but he knew he probably was. He also knew that his love would remain unrequited while ever Draco lived. "I care about you…" he told her instead. Theo would not wish his friend dead but he knew that if ever the opportunity presented itself to take her for his own he couldn't alienate her now.

"Thank you Theo," she gave him a small warm smile, "I care about you too but I need you to leave me."

Theo sighed with resignation, "How do we get him out then?"

* * *

"What do you need me to do?" Neville asked.

"We need Basilisk venom or the sword of Gryffindor," Harry told him without prevarication.

"No one has seen the sword since Dumbledore's death," Neville told him. Draco looked down at his feet at the unwelcome reminder of this event. "But I can get you the basilisk venom from the Chamber of Secrets." Neville finished.

"Thank you Neville," in the meantime we will look for the Horcruxes.

"Harry," Aberforth who had been silent for some time spoke up, "I can't stay, I need to reopen the Hog's Head to avoid suspicion."

"Thank you," Harry acknowledged the older man before Aberforth turned and retraced his steps back towards Hogsmead.

"Well Potter," Draco began as he surveyed the mountains of junk before them, "any ideas where to start?"

"None what so ever," Harry confessed honestly as he began to rifle through a box of what appeared to be discarded musical instruments.

Harry heard Draco mutter something under his breath possibly; 'fucking impossible,' although Harry couldn't be sure of his words it was a sentiment that Harry returned but it would _not_ stop him from trying.

* * *

Hermione planned to ensure that on their next raid Theo was left behind. She suspected it would be soon. Voldemort could not maintain his reign of terror without constantly terrorising people. Before this though she had two things she desperately needed; the first being to find out if the Weasley's had survived and the second to see Draco. _The question was how would she do this?_ She dare not risk an owl or fire message they might be intercepted. She couldn't use her patronus again it was too risky.

She was startled out of her reverie by a pop of apparition.

"My Lady, dinner is served." The little house elf told her in a shaking voice.

"Thank you," she said absent mindedly.

"The little house elf looked confused by her kind words but quickly prepared to leave in fear that her mood might change.

"Wait," Hermione said, the little elf began to tremble in fear, "you were Master Draco's house elf were you not?"

"Yes, My Lady, Mipsy is a good elf, please don't hurt Mipsy, Mipsy will do whatever mistress asks."

Hermione was appalled that the elf was clearly terrified of her, _had she played her role so well?_

"Could Mipsy take a message to Master Draco?" Hermione risked asking.

The poor elf feel to its knees, its eyes the size of dinner plates, tears began to flow down its face;

"Master Draco is dead My Lady. My Lady killed him but Mipsy will go to him if she must, Mipsy will give her life to serve Master Draco."

Hermione gasped as she realised that the poor elf believed Hermione intended to kill her to send a message beyond the veil.

"Oh No Mipsy, I do not intend…" she trailed off as she became aware of another presence in the room.

"What do you not intend?" he hissed.

"You may go Mipsy." She dismissed the elf giving herself breathing space.

"My Lord," She greeted, "what an unexpected surprise." His lips thinned into what might have been considered a smile. He didn't comment observing her closely before deciding to dismiss what ever thought he might have had.

"I have a mission for you join me in the Drawing room."

With that, ever one for dramatics, Voldemort apparated away whilst Hermione chose to take the stairs.

As she entered the drawing room she subtly scanned the faces of the assembled mass looking for Theo. She locked eyes with him just as she reached her seat at the large table where the senior Death Eaters were gathered. Almost imperceptibly she nodded at him, it was the signal, 'now' it told him.

"My friends," Voldemort began with false bon homme, "the time has come for us to show our muggle neighbours who are the true masters of this world we share. We will rain slaughter and mayhem upon them and when they are cowering at our feet, begging for their lives, I will show them mercy. They will live so long as they live to serve us."

Hermione felt sick but she schooled her features to show no emotion, she had an ominous feeling about this.

"Wizard kind will show its superiority over these muggle vermin and if they do not bow down they will be extinguished."

There were multiple hoots of approval in support of his words. Hermione realised he was whipping up his audience, inspiring their blood lust.

"Our manifestations of magic will conquer. Muggles will no longer be masters of this planet. WE ARE THE MASTERS." He continued.

"Magic is Might, Magic is Right." He concluded as the chant was taken up around the room.

"Magic is might, Magic is right." They chanted, Hermione thought she might vomit.

Hermione was horrified and afraid but worse she knew her opportunity to seek solace in Draco's arms was lost. It was too late the window of opportunity had closed.


	39. Lost Humanity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note
> 
> WARNING
> 
> Chapter contains elements of flashback which deal with children in warfare which some people may find disturbing. They are not overly graphic but if you do not wish to read them these parts are largely in italics so you can continue to read the rest and skip the italic parts. Alternately a summary of key points is at the end of the chapter.

* * *

Hermione rung her hands but it seemed that it mattered not how many times she washed them they would never be clean, they were an outward sign of her wickedness. A scarlet brand to show the world that she was a sinner, that the blood of innocents stained her soul.

_The children stood cowering before their burning school building; the teacher, who had futilely stepped in the path of Greyback, lay in a pool of her own blood her throat ripped out. They sobbed and called for their mothers or fathers. Hermione was paralyzed by shock, she knew she needed to show leadership, she needed to think of something to save them but for once her fabulous intellect failed her. She couldn't think, she couldn't move. Her eye was drawn to the little girl in the cerulean blue coat, her storm grey eyes drowning in tears, her blonde curls soot blackened. She felt herself drawn to the child as if she was her own. She could have been Draco's child, her daughter and she was helpless to save her._

There would be no solace in sleep this night. The scenes from earlier that day played out against Hermione's eyelids whenever she tried to sleep. The screams ricocheted inside her brain and mingled with the pleas of the children and the manic laughter of the Death Eaters as they tossed the innocents they had slaughtered aside. She had tried, tried so hard but she couldn't save them all.

_Hermione's hands were shaking as she stepped forward into the melee._ _Tongues of smoke whipped around her as she took on the menacing persona of the Dark Lady but it was not to scare the muggles but rather to intimidate her fellow Death Eaters. She knew she didn't have long **he** would be here soon. Voldemort would wait until the assembled ranks of his forces had brought terror to the area then he would appear to feed off the fear and suffering as if it was some kind of exquisite delicacy. _

_"_ _Out of my way," she ordered thankful that there was no tremor in her voice. She marched into the midst of the huddle of tiny children and grabbed them by the handful, as many as she could hold, grasping them roughly by their collars and the naps of their neck then she apparated them into an alley nearby._

_"_ _Mipsy," she called. The tiny elf, bound to serve the house of Malfoy appeared._

_"_ _Take them to Mistress Narcissa then come back." She shoved the bunch of children into the elf's hands. Not waiting for any response she dispparated._

How many had she saved? She had not counted but she knew it was not enough.

"Mipsy," the small elf appeared, "did you get the children to Mistress Narcissa?"

"Yes, my Lady," the little elf told her. Hermione was startled then by the elf's change of name and tone, "Mistress Hermione is a good witch, children are safe." Mipsy told her. Hermione did not feel good. She did not think she would ever feel good again. Somewhere along the way she had lost her humanity.

* * *

Neville returned sometime later a large basilisk fang in his hand.

"We need to destroy it." Harry said immediately turning to Draco, "you stab it I will hold it." Draco nodded his acquiescence.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

"Ready." Draco confirmed taking in a deep breath.

"Now!" Harry urged.

Draco raised the basilisk fang above his head and slammed it down into the cup. There was a hissing sound and then the cup began to foam and melt letting off a vapour which seemed to cloud Draco's vision.

"Draco?" Draco looked up confused to hear her voice, "I thought you were gone," she told him. Draco looked around to find himself back in her room at Grimmauld Place, "Harry and I we were just consoling each other." Suddenly Draco noticed Harry naked in her bed, "what is a widow to do after all?" she laughed with gay abandon. The sweet tinkling sound of her voice incensed him, he was barely 'cold in his grave' and she had turned to Potter. He raised his hands to her throat and squeezed.

"Malfoy!" the choked noise broke into his consciousness, "it isn't real, it plays on your fears."

Suddenly Draco felt the roughness beneath his fingertips; this was not her delicate skin but a rough masculine stubble.

"Potter?" Draco said stunned as he realised he had his hands around the other man's throat. "I thought…" he spluttered dropping his vice like grip.

Harry drew in a huge breath as he massaged his neck.

"I'm sorry Malfoy, I should have warned you it would fight back, it shows you what you most fear."

Draco looked stunned, he had always been jealous of the friendship Hermione had with her two best friends, did he really subconsciously fear that he meant so little to her that she would move on so readily?

Draco sat back on his haunches, closed his eyes and swallowed.

"Sorry Potter," he told him in all sincerity.

Although he couldn't see it Neville looked at Harry in shock his look saying; _has Malfoy really just apologized?_ Harry lifted his eyebrows in response but said nothing. Harry would not goad the Slytherin who he was increasing coming to understand was a good man.

"So now just the sword and something of Ravenclaw's," Harry said trying for a business like tone.

"Yes but what?" Draco asked finally opening his eyes, "There must be a clue somewhere."

"Luna's a Ravenclaw," Neville offered, "perhaps she can help?"

"Good idea Neville can you find her?" Harry enquired. Neville simply nodded and turned to leave.

* * *

_Hermione returned immediately determined to rescue the child with the curly platinum blonde hair. The child had shied away from her at her first rescue attempt but there was something about that child that pulled at her heart strings and she couldn't just leave her to her fate. As she re-appeared the chaos and clammer seemed to have increased tenfold, curses were being thrown almost indiscriminately, the assembled Death Eaters_ _revelling_ _in the carnage they were creating. Wandlessly she cast a 'protego' and made her way back to the children, she thought she was in luck the prevailing chaos would mask her real intent. She was just feet away from the huddle of children, some of whom clung to each other in desperate search for comfort, but she was too late. A sudden clap of apparation and a black swirl of dark magic signalled his arrival._

_Voldemort took one look at the huddle of children and his thin lips curled in distaste._

_"_ _Deal with this Vermin," he instructed her. Hermione felt trapped she dare not openly defy him. She was surrounded by skilled duellists who, high on their blood lust, would not hesitate to turn on her even if Voldemort himself did nothing._

_Hermione summoned her power to her and just as she had done before she poured fire towards her victims ringing them in flame._

Hermione could still hear their desperate screams as she walked towards the ring of fire.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Summary
> 
> Hermione is sent on a mission by Voldemort that involves an attack on a muggle junior school. She attempts to save some of the children, especially drawn to a girl who looks like she might be the daughter of Draco and Hermione. Meanwhile Harry and Draco destroy another Horcrux. As she returns to rescue more children Voldemort appears and orders her to kill the remaining children. With no apparent way out Hermione raises a ring of fire around the children.


	40. Dangerous Liaison

_Hermione walked towards the circle of flame she had created '_ _**enough,'** _ _she told herself, she would not slaughter the innocent. Parting the flames to let herself through she pulled the children into a tight huddle around her._

_Hold on to me she told them as she increased the fury of the flame around them to both protect and camouflage her actions._

_"_ _All of you grab hold of me," she instructed, she felt rather than saw tens of tiny hands grasp her arms and her robes, quickly surveying them she told them all in her softest calmest tone. "Hold tight, don't let go we are going for a little ride." Then steadying herself and taking a deep breath she drew on all her magical strength. All that those watching would see was the flame swallowed up by the ground and when it was gone nothing remained, no children and no Dark Lady. As Hermione disapparated she was dimly aware that Voldemort had cried out in pain._

* * *

Hermione was exhausted she had drained her power to rescue those children and now she had to decide if she dare return to the Manor. Had she got away with it? Would anyone suspect her or wonder where the children had gone? Voldemort had seemed distracted, what had his cry of anguish meant? She couldn't be sure but she prayed it meant that Harry and Draco had been successful and destroyed one of his horcruxes. She could think of little else that would cause him any anguish. Did she risk it or did she run?

_Am I a Gryffindor or not?_ She asked herself as she made the decision to return regardless of the danger.

* * *

Draco paced as they waited for Neville to return with Luna he needed to get out of there to get to Hermione but he dare not leave Potter. Hermione would never forgive him if he abandoned the dark haired wizard. Draco spun, his wand at the ready, alerted by a sudden creek of wood behind him.

"Finally," he let out impatiently.

"Luna," Harry began to explain ignoring Draco's impatience, "we are looking for an important item of Ravenclaw's, an artifact something small but of significance to the founder."

Luna simply tipped her head to one side and looked at him curiously.

"I see," she said in her usual dreamy tone, "why?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Draco huffed out, his exasperation increasing by the minute. Neville glared at him but Draco just ignored him, "just tell her!" he hissed at Harry.

Harry let out a deep sigh;

"We believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has created a number of horcruxes which are keeping him alive, one; which we have already destroyed, belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, another we believe belongs to Rowena Ravenclaw. It would most likely be small, a ring or a piece of jewelry."

"Or a diadem?" Luna interrupted.

"What's a diadem?" Harry questioned,

"Like a tiara," Draco told him his tone clearly showing considerable strain.

"It could be," Harry told her, "what would that look like?"

"Oh, she is wearing it in her portrait if you care to look," Harry made to move but Luna hadn't finished, "But Harry," she continued, "it will do you no good, no one has seen it for a long time. It is generally considered to be lost."

"Damn it Potter we've wasted enough time we need to get out of here." Draco stated becoming increasingly petulant.

"I need to know what it looked like; we need to know what it looks like." Harry corrected but Draco knew it was too much of a risk, if they left the room of requirements they would expose themselves to considerable danger.

"We can't, it's too risky." He told Harry.

"Malfoy's right, we'll look for it for you," Neville offered, " if it's to be found we will find it won't we Luna?"

"Of course," the blonde witch confirmed.

Draco couldn't wait for anymore pleasantries to be exchanged he was already on his way back down the tunnel to the Hog's Head.

Harry turned apologetically and followed.

* * *

Hermione sought the sanctuary of Draco's room as she returned to the Manor. She needed to rest and regain her strength but every time she closed her eyes all she saw was terrified faces emblazoned on the back of her eye lids. She felt as if another part of her soul had perished.

Despite everything Hermione eventually fell into a fitful sleep the magical energy she had used left her exhausted and vulnerable and she succumbed to the oblivion that she hoped sleep might bring. It must have been some hours later when she was suddenly alerted to another presence in the room.

"Lumos," she whispered wandlessly lighting the room.

"Lucius!" she exclaimed with alarm.

"Hermione," he addressed her with greater fondness than she had previously known him capable of.

He began to walk towards her but as she watched his hair suddenly began to shorten, the sharp cut emphasising his chiseled jawline, his features appeared to ripple, his waist slimed slightly and his mercurial grey eyes softened. Hermione held her breath unwilling or unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Draco?" she questioned.

He rushed towards her scooping her into his arms. Smothering her in kisses, she felt them burn as each one seared her skin.

"How did you... what are you doing here?" she managed to stutter out suddenly alarmed she dived for her wand. He stilled looking at her uncertainly but she aimed the wand at the door to close it and set up some protective wards.

"You bloody reckless fool, you shouldn't have come here it's too dangerous," she chastised him whilst simultaneously throwing her arms around his neck and burying her hands in his silken blond hair.

"Draco," she sobbed, pulling his forehead down to touch hers, "I have done such terrible things."


	41. Not Without Cost.

Draco hardly dare ask, he knew that taking on the persona of a Death Eater was not something done lightly and he understood better than anyone that it did not come without a cost. He did not need to imagine what might have been required of her and he knew that she was too good to bear too many of those horrors.

"Tell me!" He encouraged.

"The children, Draco," was all she could manage.

 _Oh Merlin no!_ Draco thought, _how had that not broken her?_

 _"_ They rounded up the muggle children, they were going to kill them all, he would have given them to Greyback, I had no choice," She rushed out leaving herself breathless.

 _So this was why he had felt her pain_ , Draco said to himself but he knew that there were no words he could use to console her if this was what she had been made to do.

"I couldn't save them all," she concluded, there was such desperation in her eyes.

"It isn't your fault," he began by way of comfort but she was too conflicted to accept his words.

"I should have done better, I should have done more." She spit out with vitriol.

All he could think of to do was hold her close, to enfold her in his arms and offer the safety and solace of his love.

* * *

Draco held her for so long and so tightly Hermione almost wanted to believe his whispered words when he told her; 'it will be alright,' but deep down she did not believe anything would ever be alright again. Some part of her had been lost and Hermione knew, with absolute certainty that it was never coming back.

As they had sat there Draco had jostled her into his lap, her head resting against his shoulder. She could hear the reassuring rhythm of his heart.

"I want it all to be over," she suddenly rushed out, "I want to see an end to it."

Draco prayed she meant the war, but he suddenly worried she might mean her own life. Panicked he demanded;

"Promise me; promise you won't ever leave me."

She didn't answer.

"Promise," Draco demanded almost frantically, "that you will stay with me in this life, not abandon me to the next."

She stared at him, slivers of tears clouding her eyes.

"Please," he begged, "promise me!"

Finally she spoke;

"I can't promise you that Draco, no one could, we are at war we risk our lives daily _but_ ," she paused, "I will promise that I will never _choose_ to leave you and that no matter where I might be, in this world or the next, I will always love you."

Draco cried. He pulled her into him suddenly overwhelmed by how precious she was to him, how precarious their situation was. He would give up every knut he owned if it would protect her. His wealth was as nothing compared to her love and she had promised him that love for ever.

Tenderly Draco leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. She reached up to brush away his tears before she leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his lips, sealing the promises she had made him. It wasn't enough, Draco deepened the kiss and she let out a moan which was all the encouragement Draco needed.

* * *

She hadn't held him in weeks but she had not forgotten the feel of him, the scent of his skin. The smooth almost translucent porcelain flesh that stretched neatly across his toned muscle. She had not forgotten the beauty of him and she wanted to loose herself to his touch.

As if he had read her mind he kissed her neck, feather light touches like the brush of an angel's wing, teased her senses and she sighed tilting her neck to the side to allow him more access. As his lips touched her throat Hermione's core was already aching, she could barely articulate what she needed from him.

Taking his hands she weaved their fingers together, lifting them to her breasts telling him wordlessly that she needed more. He understood, massaging her through her clothes, his ministrations growing more insistent as his own blood heated.

Draco had felt that familiar twitch in his groin the moment her lips had touched his but now, with his hands caressing her breasts, he was painfully engorged. The tenderness of a few moments ago was quickly replaced by an urgency that they both felt.

Hermione clawed at his clothes tugging and pulling to get at his manhood. When he sprang free she had to resist the urge to take him in her mouth and bite him. So powerful was the need to possess that part of him, she licked her lips, salivating with desire, he looked delicious and she couldn't resist. Freeing her hand she grasped his hardened length then, releasing the pressure, she ran a gentle, caressing finger from his tip to his base. She thrilled to feel him shiver at her touch but she was not done with him. Moistening her lips she lowered her mouth to his throbbing member, Draco let out a primal sigh of pleasure as her tongue traced his pulsing tip.

"Hermione," he shuddered grasping her hair to steady her as she sucked him in. Draco felt barely capable of salient thought as her wet warmth engulfed him but they had been apart too long and he could not bear her teasing. As she pulled back breathless he flipped them over on his bed pinning her beneath him. He was all but naked but Hermione was still largely dressed;

"Unfair," he managed to articulate indicating her clothing but he couldn't wait. Running a shaking hand along her inner thigh he felt her shiver and arch her back towards him. He knew she would be ready for him.

"I need you," he told her breathless in his urgency. She smirked under him giving him a delicious little 'hmm'. Draco knew she was egger as she writhed grinding her hips against him, too needy to wait any longer. He pulled the hem of her knickers aside positioning himself at her cusp. He knew her patients had reached its limit too when she grasped his behind and urged him forward.

Hermione thought this might be her favorite sensation, the tightness she felt as he plunged into her, filling her to the brim. She gasped with delight at the feel of him and when he pulled out again she felt bereft, her aching core already mourning his loss until he pushed forward again. He went deep, hitting that sweet spot that made her want to sing out his name.

Draco knew there was no way he would last, he wanted her too much. He was almost cross eyed with the effort of his restraint when she began to pulsate around him. He thought he might die from the pleasure she gave him as she tightened around him. It was too much one more powerful thrust and he too careered over the edge into bliss.

Drunk on the endorphins she had released Draco cradled her, reluctant to pull apart even as he softened, but if he had hoped she would spend her post coital bliss in his arms then he was quickly disappointed when he became conscious of an insistent hammer on the bedroom door.

The door was shattered by a sudden blast, Draco rolled off the bed scrambling for his wand from his pocket.

As the debris cleared Theo took at the scene before him, Hermione's dishevelled appearance, Draco's state of undress and he levelled his wand at the blond a snarl curving his lip.

"I ought to kill where you stand," Theo ground out between tightly gritted teeth, "after all no one would know because you are already dead."

* * *


	42. Escape

For what felt like an eternity there was a tense standoff, a red mist had descended upon Theo as he took in the scene, it was all too obvious that the pair had just been intimate and he seriously considered doing for his childhood friend, knowing that it would leave the way clear to Hermione's affections. That was until the fog cleared and Theo realised that she would never, ever forgive him if Draco came to any harm.

"Bastard," Theo ground out, "you're supposed to be dead, I mourned you," he accused as he dropped his wand.

Hermione knew the moment had come they had to either entirely trust Theo or kill him.

"What are you going to do?" Draco asked his old fried warily as he calculated a means to defend Hermione and himself should he need to.

Hermione had trusted Theo but she sensed her may have an ulterior motive for helping her and now that Draco was here, her husband and a rival to Theo could she still trust the dark haired man?

The door sealed behind him before Theo could answer. One of them had used wandless magic to close it. Theo knew he was no match for either of them if it came to a duel his choices were to join them or… Theo didn't dare think, they were both more than capable of killing him with little more than half a thought but Theo knew he would not betray them he had long since lost faith in Voldemort's cause; If he had ever even believed to begin with.

"I will help you," Theo replied, "You need to get out of here."

"Yes," Hermione agreed, "you need to leave Draco it was foolhardy of you to come here you need to leave."

Draco looked at her incredulously, "not without you, not this time," He told her adamantly.

"I can't leave Draco, it would cost us too much," she told him.

"And what will it cost you if you stay?"

She knew what he meant, she knew if she stayed it would shatter her, shrivel her soul.

"What will it cost if I don't?" she asked him, "I can't be selfish, _we_ can't be selfish."

"I know," he told her quietly, "but I want to be," he stated pulling her close again, "I want to keep you safe." she smiled up at him indulgently.

Theo felt like the third wheel but he was also stunned by the desperate love with which his friend clung to the petite witch he too had coveted. He hadn't thought Draco capable of that sort of love and he wondered for a moment if he had ever known the blond at all.

"I'm sorry Theo," Draco turned to him, "sorry to have done this to you, if there had been any other way…"

Theo just nodded in acknowledgement.

"Go," Hermione told her husband knowing that the ancestral wards would allow Draco to apparate away.

"I love you," he mouthed before he disappeared.

Hermione collapsed to her knees and sobbed clutching her hand to her forearm as it burnt. Theo also grimaced, they had been summoned.

* * *

As they rushed towards the Manor drawing room Hermione suddenly realised something was amiss.

"Theo," she asked in a hushed tone, "why are you still here?"

"That was what I came to tell you, Arthur has escaped," Theo replied whilst at the same time nodding his head to indicate that he hadn't helped, "I don't know how," he continued.

"Shit," Hermione cursed, "then the Dark Lord will assume we have a traitor in our midst."

Theo nodded solemnly, they both knew what this meant, someone would have to pay.

Hermione rounded the last corner before the drawing room but as she did a hand caught her wrist and yanked her into the shadow of a doorway.

"Lucius!" she exclaimed as she recognised the pale face that glared down at her.

"You need to get out of here now, both of you," he indicated Theo who had halted behind her, "he suspects you."

"Mipsy," there was a pop, "get my daughter-in-law and Mr. Nott out of here now."

There was no time to discuss it and it was clear from the elder Malfoy's expression that he would brook no argument. Hermione didn't resist as the tiny elf took her hand and she felt the pull of apparation. She didn’t have time to think of how Lucius had chosen to save her for the sake of his son.

Hermione's ears popped as they landed.

"Thank You Mipsy," she said to the forlorn looking creature, "you may go Theo and I will be fine,"

"Yes, mistress Hermione," the little elf dropped a tiny curtesy and disappeared.

* * *

Draco reappeared in the Kitchen of Grimmauld Place, Harry, toast midway to his mouth suddenly tensed.

"What did you think you were doing?" Harry yelled, "You could have been caught, exposed Hermione got both of you killed."

Riled by the sudden and unexpected aggression Draco yelled back;

"She's my wife, she was in trouble, what would you have me do?"

Harry took a deep breath, visibly making an effort to restrain himself from pushing his volatile ally any further.

"Is she okay?" Harry asked more calmly as his anger deflated.

"For now," Draco told him, "I tried to get her to leave; this Dark Lady act is destroying her Harry." Draco confided more calmly.

"I assume she refused?" Harry deduced.

"She's nothing if not stubborn," Draco responded.

Harry shook his head knowingly _, I only hope it doesn't get her killed,_ he concluded to himself.

Draco had barely sat down to join Harry for breakfast when the sound of an unexpected apparation into Grimmauld Place caused a rush of panic. Harry and Draco looked at each other both jumping from their chairs and raising their wands before they raced into the entrance hall expecting Death Eaters. Their expectations were correct two Death Eaters stood just inside the door.


	43. Grim reality

"Shit Hermione," Harry began, "you scared the crap out of me."

"What are you two doing here?" Draco asked looking confused, "you told me you wouldn't leave and you've brought Nott here."

"I had little choice," Hermione began justifying her appearance in the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix with another known Death Eater, "we had been exposed and without Lucius’ help well…" she trailed off knowing that she need not explain the consequences.

By now Remus had appeared.

"Theo," Remus said, "drawing the attention of the younger man, "I'm afraid we can't afford to trust you yet." Theo didn't seem surprised.

"Come with me Theo," Tonks said levelling her wand at him although it was a somewhat sympathetic gesture.

"The rest of you," Remus signaled the way to the Kitchen.

Over the next couple of hours Hermione updated them on what she knew, what she had done. At the end of it Remus looked grim. The grim reality of war had robbed Hermione of much of her innocence and it angered Remus more than he would admit that she, like the others at the table had been forced to grow up too fast.

When Hermione had finished Harry updated her on the Horcrux hunt.

"So Ravenclaw's diadem is another of the horcruxes?" Hermione clarified.

"So it would seem," Harry confirmed.

"Then we need to go to Hogwarts and destroy it," Hermione enthused.

"It won't be that simple," Draco cautioned, "Luna said it was lost and we have no means of destroying it."

"I can destroy it," Hermione claimed, the others looked dubious, "one of the 'benefits' of being He-Who-Must- Not–Be–Named's lieutenant is that he taught me things. I can make fiendfyre and what is more I can control it."

"Then we just have to find something that no one has seen for centuries and that we don't know what it looks like," Harry said, "No problem!" He concluded sardonically.

"Didn't Luna say there was a portrait?" Draco recalled, "at least we can find out what it looks like," he suggested looking at Remus for confirmation.

Remus hated the thought of placing them in danger, they had all given so much already _but then,_ he told himself, _they were running out of options_.

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully Remus let out a sigh.

"Alright," he told them, "we are running out of both time and options tomorrow we go to Hogwarts see what you can do."

* * *

Draco had seen little of his mother since he had feigned his death. He was unsure if he would survive much longer and he desperately wanted to tell his mother that he loved her. So when the meeting dismissed he told the others he was going to spend the night at Andromeda's. Hermione agreed to go with him and, having collected a change of clothing, they left Grimmauld Place.

"Draco," his mother greeted her face lighting at the pleasure of seeing her only son.

"Mother," he replied quietly as she rushed to embrace him. She hugged him fiercely before pulling back to look at his face her eyes taking him in to ensure there was no hint of harm, no damage to his beloved face. Draco smiled, that beautiful genuine smile so few ever saw, he had come to tell his mother he loved her but somehow he found he didn't have the words.

"I know," she told him as if she had read his mind, "I love you too!"

Draco swallowed the lump in his throat that almost choked him. His mother, the sole person he had loved for so many years, the woman who he had been so desperate to save that he had quite literally sold his soul to do so, understood that he had come to say goodbye.

"Hermione," his mother acknowledged her son’s wife, "shall we go inside?"

* * *

"Harry, might I have a word in private?" Remus asked the dark haired hero as they all rose to leave the table at the end of dinner. Harry nodded a brief flash of concern crossing his features as if something told him, what ever Remus wanted, it could not be good.

When the others had left the room Remus began;

"So Harry, we have identified another horcrux," Harry nodded again, "you understand that _he_ cannot be killed unless they are all destroyed," again Harry nodded, so Remus continued, "I have reason to believe that there are two more."

"Two?" Harry interrupted, Remus' heart sank the boy didn't know _how_ _could he tell him? Should he tell him?_ Remus wondered, he ploughed on wondering if Harry might reach his own conclusions.

"Do you have any notion of what the other two might be?" Remus questioned.

"I had wondered if the snake Nagini might be one, he always keeps her close."

"Yes, Severus always thought so." Remus acknowledged.

"But you said there were _two_ more?" Harry recalled clearly not understanding the implications of what Remus had said.

"Yes, I believe there may be another, one that _he_ never intended to create," Remus confirmed, "can you think of what this might be?"

Harry shook his head.

Remus couldn't do it, not yet; he couldn't tell Harry what was ultimately expected of him.

"Perhaps you could give it some thought, and then we will talk again." Remus contented himself with saying hoping Harry would indeed work it out.

* * *

Back in her beautiful room in Andromeda's house Hermione could almost pretend there was no war. Draco lay his head in her lap as she gently stroked his platinum locks. She watched his beloved face as he, clearly lost in contemplation, gazed up at the ceiling.

"Hermione," he said breaking the spell, "I have a theory concerning Harry, why he is the chosen one and all that, that I want to discuss with you."

Hermione cocked her head to one side as if to say _really, we are finally alone and you want to talk about Harry._

"Am I right in understanding that Harry can sometime hear Y _ou Know Who's_ thoughts?" he asked.

"Yes, sometimes and vice versa, Harry has to work hard to keep him out of his mind."

"Harry told me when we were at Gringott's that he could sense the horcrux in my aunt's vault."

"Where are you going with this Draco," Hermione asked sitting up straight as if she had already drawn her own conclusions and was alarmed by them.

"I think there is a reason Harry can hear the Horcruxes…" he didn't finish before Hermione interrupted him;

"No!" she said despairingly, "then Harry would have to…No" Hermione wept, the brightest witch of her age had deduced that her best friend was a horcrux. She finally understood what the prophecy meant. Draco said nothing just pulled her into his arms and held her close as he wondered if Harry actual knew what destroying Voldemort would cost.

* * *


	44. Grim Realisation

_I dreamt of death. The streets ran thick with red, rivulets of blood flowed into the gutter as the fallen lay unmourned, their faces in rictus frowns, as if death was something which puzzled them. Rain poured heavily and the rivulet became floods, blood poured from my own hands. Thick and crimson it fell in droplet like macabre tears._

_I staked the streets like La Calavera Catrina, the corpses of those I loved lay at my feet a horrific footpath of shattered bones and broken dreams. Tonks; her hand stretched out to her husband, a last defiant gesture of love towards Remus whose face was half shattered. Harry was also amongst the fallen, his eyes glazed, his glasses askew, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth._

_I continue on along the path laid out before me, heedless of the bones that crunch and splinter beneath my feet. Ahead of me is an alter where my bridegroom awaits, his eyes red, 'come my dear', the sibilation of his voice beckons me and I struggle forward although now I want to turn and run._

_Before him; on the altar rests something silver, it gleams there, as if it might be a crown but that is not the gift he offers me. It is the cold dead stare of my love, his severed head resting gently on a crimson pillow his eyes wide with accusation-'you betrayed me,' they say._

_I have become death personified, blood stains my hands and all who see me fall away in terror. I gather their power to me, the now infamous tongues of shadow surround me as I reach out to take Voldemort's outstretched hand and..._ Hermione woke screaming, sweat dripping from her skin.

"It's alright, it was just a nightmare," Draco's soothing voice reassures her as he runs soothing circles across her back. Hermione wondered if it would ever by alright; _what have I become?_ She asked herself the guilt almost unbearable.

* * *

The following morning Hermione and Draco returned to Grimmauld Palace. Hermione flew into Harry's arms as he came to greet her as if she had not seen him for years. He was another source of comfort to her but also a source of regret.

"Hey! Nice to see you too," he said looking confused, "but I only saw you yesterday."

Harry became more confused when Draco gave Hermione a look which could only be described as chastisement.

"I had a bad dream," Hermione told him realising that she needed to cover for her over reaction, "it was so real, I'm just glad to see that's all it was-a dream."

"Are you ready?" Remus interrupted.

"Yes," the pair both responded in unison, "as ready as I'm going to be."

"Do we need to go over the plan?"

"Has it changed?" Draco questioned. When Remus shook his head Draco concluded, "Then let's not waste time."

* * *

As Hermione and Draco appeared in Hogsmead, the others disapparating around them, it was preternaturally quiet.

"Something's wrong," Hermione whispered.

"Stay with me," Draco said by way of nervous confirmation that he felt it too.

Using a combination of spells to disguise and make themselves unobtrusive the party made their way towards the passage in the Hog's Head. They saw no one.

"I don't like this," Hermione whispered to Draco, "it's too quiet. It feels like a trap."

They reached the Hogs Head without a hitch but the Inn was unnaturally quiet.

"Where's Aberforth?" Remus asked voicing what they had all been wondering.

Hermione looked at Draco; _I don't like this,_ she silently intoned as they made their way towards the Hog's Head passage. Despite Hermione's misgivings they made it into Hogwarts without incident. It all seemed too easy but as soon as they emerged into the corridors of Hogwarts to seek the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw they understood why. All hell had broken loose. Battalions of Death Eaters dueled with teachers and members of the DA. Hogwarts was under attack its walls had once again been breached.

Immediately they entered the fray Draco and Hermione's presence seemed to cause confusion. No one seemed sure whose side they were on. In the melee they were in danger from both sides.

"You two have to get out of here," Harry yelled across the noise.

"But Harry…" Hermione began to protest.

"I'll be alright," he interrupted, "go to the room of hidden things, find the diadem and destroy it."

Draco knew Hermione would continue to protest so he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the seventh floor.

"He'll be alright," Draco reassured her, "and we have to do this." Hermione nodded her agreement but as they reached one of the many staircases she suddenly froze.

"Draco," she said in alarm, "we still don't know what we are looking for!"

"Shit," Draco swore as he pulled her into the relative safety of an abandoned classroom, "can we found Luna?" he wondered aloud. But meanwhile Hermione had been thinking.

"Ravenclaw towers," she said pulling his hand towards the door. Draco looked at her questioningly, she sighed, "If the portrait is anywhere that is where it will be." Hermione explained.

"I hope you're right," Draco muttered under his breath.

"When am I ever wrong?" she demanded.

Draco merely smirked and tugged her from the room.

* * *

Harry found himself cornered. Back to back with Remus and Tonks they took up a defensive stance. Harry knew they couldn't keep this up it was only a matter of time and that was when he felt it. The sickenUsing burn on his forehead. _Voldemort!_

Suddenly preternatural stillness spread across Hogwarts as Voldemort's voice rang through the halls and corridors.

"Harry Potter," his eerie voice rang out.

* * *

Voldemort demanded that Harry meet him in the Forbidden Forest. He gave His word that the others would be spared so long as Harry faced him alone. Hermione knew that Harry was too noble not to agree and that now more than ever the destruction of the diadem was critical. Hermione and Draco raced through the corridors of Hogwarts using the lull in the fighting to speed towards Ravenclaw towers.

They ricocheted round corners, bounced from portrait to portrait asking those portraits that had not fled where they would find Rowen Ravenclaw. Finally they found her standing proud at the entrance to a spiral staircase, the diadem respondent on her brow.

"I have seen this before," Draco said as he pulled Hermione back the way they had come, "I know where it is."

They raced towards the room of hidden things. Draco took her hand to drag her towards the now broken vanishing cabinet. Draco felt sick as he looked at the great mahogany box again but he retraced his steps, there had been a mirror he recalled, and it was covered by a cloth, the cloth he took to cover the cabinet and on the table beside the mirror…

"There," he pointed urgently as he rushed towards it.

Cautiously taking it up with the edge of his robe Draco lifted the diadem towards Hermione.

"Are you sure you can do this?" he asked her recalling how notorious fiendfyre was to control.

"Yes," she said empathically, "or die trying."

Draco wanted to tell her that wasn't funny but they had so little time and he understood that they had no choice even if it did kill them.

"Do it," he instructed bracing himself for whatever the horcrux might throw back at them. Hermione said the incantation. The fiendfyre roared into life the diadem began to warp and melt but then the fyre flared igniting the random stacks of generations of discarded detritus that littered the room. It surged, catching light more quickly than anything Draco had ever seen.

"Run!" he hollered.

* * *


	45. Shattered

* * *

Soot stained and coughing Hermione and Draco made it out of the room of hidden things. The room itself was destroyed but at least they had the solace of knowing the diadem was destroyed too. Now only the snake and Harry remained.

Hermione and Draco raced through the castle to try and locate the others. As they reached the courtyard before the great doors they slowed. There was no fighting, none of those assembled had their wands raised but there was a determined stand off as the castle's defenders faced the assembled ranks of Death Eaters.

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort announced. Draco sensed Hermione move rather than saw her and he understood what she would do, he also knew he couldn't let her-Voldemort would kill her.

"No!" she screamed but before she could cast any curse she crumbled to the ground stunned into silence.

"Draco," the Dark Lord said, "back from the dead I see," he paused clearly contemplating his next move. "I see you have taken care of our little traitorous friend, come, bring her too me and I will welcome you back into the fold."

Before Draco could think or move there was a disturbance at the edges of his vision. It all seemed to happen so quickly, Potter was up and on his feet, Longbottom had decapitated the snake Nagini and Voldemort was dead. It was over!

* * *

Draco crouched down and lifted the still unconscious Hermione into his arms carrying her into the Great Hall to be cared for with the other injured. He had never intended to leave her side but he was a marked Death Eater, a Malfoy and the Dark Lord had publically acknowledged him as his ally moments before his defeat. No mind that Draco had not gone to him, no mind that he had fought with the order at Potter's side, within minutes of him setting Hermione down he was surrounded by aurors.

"Draco Malfoy, surrender your wand you are under arrest."

* * *

When Hermione came round she was alone. There was no Draco and she believed Harry was dead.

"Where's Draco," she asked the kindly medi-witch who was attending her. Her throat was dry with fear but she had to know he was alright. She believed that Voldemort would kill him on sight if he could; she had to know Draco was safe; she couldn't lose both Harry and Draco too. She had already lost too much.

"It's alright my dear," the kindly witch reassured her misunderstanding her concern, "he's gone."

_Gone,_ Hermione could not process that idea. She looked around frantically for confirmation. As she scanned the room he eyes caught sight of a familiar coat sleeve, a hand entwined with another equally familiar. She rose abruptly, heedless of the medi-witch exalting her to rest, and rushed towards the two figures buried beneath the oddly mismatched blankets.

She hardly dared to look but she needed confirmation, though she intuitively sensed what she would see; Remus and Tonks eyes blank and lifeless, their heads turned towards each other in a sightless lovers gaze. _No,_ Hermione began to tremble;

"Where is he," she screamed racing across the room tearing away the coverings that afforded the dead some dignity. Her rampaging was causing distress and outrage but she didn't care she had to see him, she had to hold him one last time. So focused on her task Hermione did not see the medi-wizard who sedated her until it was too late.

* * *

Draco had tried to explain, he had told them he had fought with the Order of the Phoenix, that Hermione was his wife, he had told them to ask; Lupin or Tonks not realising, (until the Auror hissed at him; 'how convenient that the only people who can confirm your story either dead or insane,') that no one could confirm his claims.

So he lay in the dark of his cell in Azkaban wondering what had happened to Hermione, telling himself she would not leave him here. As the hours wore into days his panic mounted, _had something happened to her? Was she alive? Had she betrayed him? T_ he thought that she could betray him left him shattered, he would rather face the Dementor's kiss than discover that Hermione did not love him.

* * *

Harry made his way through St Mungo's his heart heavy. Despite all that had happened he should have come to her sooner. Hermione was his oldest friend, she had been through terrible things… his thoughts trailed off as the Healer in charge of her case came to greet him. The Healer explained to Harry what they believed had happened; how the stress and strain of events had caused Hermione's brain to shutdown to protect its self.

"It would help greatly if someone she knew could talk to her." The Healer continued to explain.

"What about her husband?" Harry asked wondering why they had approached him rather than Draco.

"Husband?" the Healer asked looking confused,

"Yes, Draco Malfoy, her husband," Harry snapped.

The Healer looked at Harry as if Harry himself had lost all reason. Then clearly thinking better of whatever he had thought to say he simply said,

"Haven't you heard Mr. Potter, Draco Malfoy is in Azkaban, he is expected to be sentenced to 'the kiss.'"

"Shit," Harry swore, before he turned on his heels and left, he knew that if Malfoy was not saved he would lose Hermione forever.

* * *

"You're too late!"

The Minister told Harry as he eased his way back towards his seat. Harry felt the blood drain from his face he had pulled all the favours he could to get to see the minister immediately, used all his fame and status as the hero of the wizarding world and he was too late.

"Are you alright Harry," the Minister asked with concern as Harry slumped into the warn, high back leather chair in front of the minister's desk, "You look a little ill, can I get you some water?"

"When?" Harry asked.

"This morning," the Minister confirmed.


	46. Apologies

"Longbottom came to see me yesterday morning and explained everything. He was released this morning!" The Minister of Magic told Harry.

Harry laughed; he was almost tempted to kiss the man who was now looking at him with eyebrows raised.

"Where did he go?" Harry asked.

"St.Mungo's I believe."

Harry thanked the minister and left feeling considerably more lighthearted than when he had arrived.

* * *

It had been Longbottom who had finally got him out. He had told Draco that no one had realised where he was at first. Longbottom had confirmed that many order members were dead and that Hermione was in St. Mungo's. That was where Draco now found himself anxiously waiting for the Healer so he could see his wife.

"We are ever so sorry, Mr. Malfoy," the Healer began to apologise, "we did not realise that Hermione was your wife." Draco ignored his groveling apology;

"How is she?" Draco asked.

"Much the same," the Healer told him, "she still hasn't spoken for some days. Your wife can become very agitated Mr. Malfoy but today she is calm enough it should be safe to visit her."

As they entered the room she was sitting quietly by the window staring blankly into the grey dawn. Physically she looked well enough, her hair was perhaps a little unkempt, resembling more the bird's nest it had been as a child, but beyond that she looked well in fact her checks were flushed with health.

Draco smiled wistfully at his wife, how many times had he seen her sitting by a window like this but there was usually a book in her hand. As Draco approached her he began to appreciate the difference; there was a vacant look in her usually alert eyes.

"Have you given her some potion?" Draco demanded, he had the suspicion that his wife had somehow been subdued.

"Merely a calming draught sir," the healer reassured him.

"How long ago?" Draco asked,

"An hour, it will last a while yet" he was told.

"Then I will wait!" Draco told the healer resolutely.

"But sir," the man dithered, "you have not seen what she will do."

Draco rounded on the man, "Do I look like a man who fears his own wife?"

The Healer looked as if he was about to argue but when he saw how Draco glowered at him he seemed to change his mind.

"No sir," the Healer conceded.

"Then I will wait with my wife." With that Draco sat beside her and gently took her hand.

The Healer left them alone.

* * *

For hours Draco sat there gently rubbing his thumb across the back of Hermione's hand while she continued to stare out the window into what was now darkness. Sometime around 3 in the morning he must have dosed off for a moment for he was startled awake by a hand that gently trailed through his hair. Hermione had shifted, she was no longer staring out the window, her chin now rested on his shoulder and she had buried her hands in his hair. Tentatively he raised his eyes to her face; there was a flash of recognition in her eyes.

"Are you real?" she asked him, "or are you another ghost sent to taunt me?"

She watched his face intently, as if waiting for it to fold like smoke and disappear. After a long moment, as she seemed to realise that he was real, she moved her hands to cup his face.

"Draco?" she said, less in question than in recognition of the man before her.

"Hermione," he sobbed pulling her towards him. He knew she was not healed yet but she knew him. It was a start and she was stubborn and he knew now she would come back to him.

**The End**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to everyone who has read this far. A special shout out to jacpin2002 who was kind enough to comment on the work throughout.


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